Kold Blooded Kouple: Konquest
by CryoManceR
Summary: 3rd story of my Kold Blooded series. Relationship between Sub-Zero and Skarlet takes a turn for the worse as she betrays him. Events after Mk9 Story mode. Mixed characters/elements from MK4/Deception/Deadly Alliance/Armageddon games. A 3-way catfight breaks out between Skarlet, Sareena, and Frost for Sub-Zero's love. Battle of Armageddon will be the climax.
1. Chapter 1 Assemble

This is the start of the last entry in my 'Kold Blooded' series. I will do my best to make this the most enjoyable story out of the three.

If you have not read my other two stories or did not enjoy them, then this work will obviously not make any sense and is not for you.

To those who have, thank you for returning and I hope you are as excited as I am in returning to this world of my favourite 'Krack Kouple.'

I appreciate harsh criticism as long as it is constructive. I believe it is necessary for me to grow as a fanfic writer and I will do my best to make adjustments. However, down the line if I still have not adjusted properly to advice/pointers that I am given, then I apologize in advance. I will ignore/delete/block/report distasteful comments/reviews if they are not constructive or helpful.

I hope to achieve a lot of pain/emotion between Sub-Zero and Skarlet. Any suggestions/feedback is most welcome. These two characters will always be central to the story no matter how big I try to make this. It will be hard to keep the focus on them while adding new characters and elements to the plot. Any pointers on how to blend everything together will be appreciated.

Any requests to weave in certain/favourite Mortal Kombat characters into the story will be greatly considered as I want this story to be as interactive as possible.

I plan on mixing events/characters from the MK 4, Deception, Deadly Alliance, and Armageddon games, with the battle of Armageddon being the pinnacle/climax of the story. I know I have a great task ahead of me in carefully blending in the relationship of Skarlet/Sub-Zero.

This will be the longest story I will ever write. I plan on taking my time to ensure that this work will have the best quality I can possibly put in. So I once again ask for your patience as there may be long periods of time between updates.

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

* * *

_**The love between the cold blooded warriors vanished in an instant. Everything the lovers had been through together- fighting side-by-side during the fall of Shao Kahn, adjusting to life in Earthrealm, and being completely in love-disappeared in world of pain.**_

_**Skarlets' betrayal hurt more than anything Sub-Zero had ever faced in his life. The loss of his brother Bi-Han, having his childhood stripped away by the Lin Kuei, and everything Kuai Liang had been through, paled in comparison to the suffering he was enduring now.**_

_**Seeing the love of his life leave with the demon he hated the most was enough to kill him ten times over.**_

_**The look in Skarlet's eyes told a different story. There was nothing but hate, resentment, and evil intent behind them. Sub-Zero had no idea why she would ever do such a thing. The wound she inflicted on him corrupted his thinking as the pain was intense. His heart shattered while his body continued to bleed out and die.**_

_**All the training in his life could not ever prepare the cold warrior for a moment like this. Sub-Zero craved death. Anything to put an end to his suffering. Overwhelmed by a ripped heart, a burning soul, and a tormented mind, Kuai Liang closed his eyes and hoped they would never open again.**_

_Meanwhile, Lord Raiden, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade- all unaware of Skarlets defection- continued to travel all over Earthrealm recruiting warriors, fighters and individuals with special talents to fight against the evil Lord Shinnok. A war between the forces of light and forces of darkness was inevitable. The odds were greatly stacked against the warriors of Earthrealm._

_Quan Chi- an important piece on Lord Shinnok's game board, was very instrumental in orchestrating and executing Shinnok's plan. The evil sorcerer was successful in manipulating Shao Kahn's rage to the point where the warlord foolishly tried to merge Outworld and Earthrealm. The Emperor was confident that there would be no repercussions from the Elder Gods._

_Shao Kahn was defeated and many lives on both sides were lost. The evil warlord's payment for Netherealm's allegiance were the lost souls of both good and evil. Quan Chi had amassed an army of pure darkness. All would serve under Lord Shinnok's command._

_The Forces of Light were vastly outnumbered. All the realms were now under the greatest threat._

_**Skarlet- who was now being controlled by Quan Chi's sorcery, was forced to believe that all the experiences she shared with Sub-Zero made her weak and that he tried to tame her like an abused animal. She was filled with hate towards her former lover. The sorcerer restored her ruthless, and vicious mentality. Skarlet was once again a cold blooded killing machine working for the side of evil, and would be used as a pawn to kill her former comrades-in-arms…**_

* * *

**CHAPTER I**

* * *

Much to Sub-Zero's dismay, he did not die. His eyes opened as he lay on his back staring up at the dark sky. Blood continued to pour out of the puncture under Sub-Zero's right rib. The pain was everywhere. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. It was more annoying than unbearable as Kuai Liang trained all his life to endure it. However, the damage inflicted on his emotions by Skarlet-the woman he loved- was nothing he could ever prepare himself for.

Sub-Zero had no idea why she would do such a thing after all the happiness they had. If Skarlet was displeased in any way, she was the type of person to let anyone know about it. She could've left Kuai Liang at anytime and returned to Outworld. Sub-Zero's head was spinning as the past few minutes were nothing but a blur.

Tundra went from fulfilling his destiny one minute, to having everything being taken away by the woman who meant everthing to him the next. It was all too quick for Sub-Zero to comprehend and he never once thought that mind control by the enemy would be at play. The way Skarlet stared at him with hate and disgust was too believable. Seeing her stand side by side with Scorpion before vanishing with him to the Netherrealm in flames was even more unbearable than hell itself.

The very thought of Scorpion angered Sub-Zero and made him sit up. He placed his palm over his wound and froze a patch of ice to seal it and prevent further bleeding. It was then that Kuai Liang decided not to give up. He would not rest until he had both Skarlet and Scorpion's spines in his hands, making them pay for not finishing him off. But first he needed a plan. Sub-Zero would need to regroup and gather himself before setting out to fulfill his new goals. Reuniting with Lord Raiden and the others was not the answer. Sub-Zero was going home. He was heading to China to return to the Lin Kuei temple.

* * *

The Earthrealm warriors had just recruited a skilled warrior named Kenshi, whose abilities had caught the attention of Sonya Blade while she continued her search of looking for members with special talents. He seemed very eager and jumped at the chance to pursue Shang Tsung, as the evil sorcerer had deceived him during an earlier event which ended up leaving Kenshi permanently blind, but wielding a very powerful sword.

Next, Lord Raiden recruited a skilled martial artist named Kai, who was a Shaolin monk and had previously trained with Liu Kang. He had the ability to use fire in battle and was a great asset to the team.

A meeting held by Johnny Cage to gather the Forces of Light attracted the God of wind, Fujin, who signed on after hearing Kenshi mention the brothers Taven and Daegon-who were half God, Half Edenians. Fujin had been a friend of their family for ages until the two mysteriously disappeared. The God of wind was very interested in their whereabouts and was certain that by joining the forces of light would surely lead him to them.

Bo' Rai Cho, a master who has taught many warriors including Liu Kang and Kung Lao, also sided with the forces of light after learning of his former pupils fates. The man was an obese, somewhat drunken master of martial arts who loved the drink. Johnny Cage often made fun of his weight and appearance, and gave the overweight fighter flack for the sack of alcohol strapped to his back.

While the Forces of Light were showing signs of life and growing strength, they were still no match and outnumbered by the army and forces of darkness assembled against them.

The team were all gathered at the cathedral when Lord Raiden paused and closed his eyes tight, bending his head down as if he was suffering a crippling headache. He suffered another vision.

"Lord Raiden what is it?" a worried Sonya Blade asked, as the others stopped and stared.

The God of thunder touched his forehead. His heart sank as he felt Sub-Zero's pain.

"I fear Sub-Zero is in great danger, he has been hurt. I cannot see Skarlet. She has disappeared from my sight. Her fate is unknown..."

"Do you think she was killed by Quan Chi or Scorpion?" a bewildered Johnny Cage asked.

"I do not know." Raiden replied. "I have a feeling that is only the beginning of our worries. I also sense the great evil we are against is much more powerful than I anticipate."

"So what do we do now? Should we go and help Sub-Zero?" Sonya asked.

"No. It is too dangerous. I cannot risk losing anyone else. Quan Chi or Scorpion could be waiting for an opportunity to strike another one of us down. I'm afraid Sub-Zero is on his own."

* * *

In the pits of Netherrealm, Lord Shinnok and Quan Chi continued to build their battalion composed of demons and other hellish entities who would fight along side the brotherhood of shadow, and the main contingent of the Forces of Darkness. Newly among them was Skarlet, who Quan Chi would have work as a double agent to infiltrate the Earthrealm warriors base and learn their battle plans and strategy. And then when she had gathered enough information, Skarlet would attack and kill as many Earthrealm warriors as she could, crippling the forces of light completely before escaping and informing Lord Shinnok and Quan Chi of their intentions.

If all went according to plan, there was no stopping Lord Shinnok and Quan Chi from taking over all the realms and the world of Edenia would be the first stop.

Quan Chi turned to his master. "Your plan is working to perfection Lord Shinnok. Yet the thunder God still lives."

"No matter. Neither Earthrealm nor the Outworld can now withstand the Netherrealm's onslaught." Lord Shinnok replied.

"It is time. Soon we will unleash our forces, and then all the realms shall be ours." he continued.

Quan Chi also controlled the lost souls of Sindel, Princess Kitana, Jade, Nightwolf, Smoke, Kabal, Jax, Kung Lao and Stryker. All warriors who once served under the forces of good. They were now wraiths of their former selves, their bodies shaded in black with their eyes glowing red.

Lord Shinnok even discovered a dragon named Onaga in the Netherrealm, and made him a proposal in which the dragon king would claim the Outworld throne in exchange for his help in Shinnoks ascension to power.

The Elder God and sorcerer even combined their powers to resurrect the fallen forces of Shao Kahn and the evil warlord himself, to serve under their command. Ermac, Kano, Goro, Kintaro, Mileena, Shang Tsung, Motaro and Sub-Zero's brother Noob Saibot were all spectres that have been brought back and being controlled by Quan Chi.

Skarlet was responsible for the deaths of half of them, so to prevent dissension among the group, Quan Chi used his sorcery to mind wipe the memory of their deaths.

Skarlet stared at the warriors she all killed and smirked. The wraith of Ermac stared back at her and a long moment passed as neither of them blinked or looked away. The history and tension between the two was palpable and made the big family reunion down in Netherrealm that much more exciting.

Quan Chi also had his personal assassins Sareena, Kia, and Jataaka, who were all powerful demons and would serve the sorcerer well. Sareena had been filled in about Skarlet's previous relationship with Sub-Zero and was intrigued by it as she herself had history with both Bi-Han and Kuai Liang. She glared at Skarlet and studied her intently.

Now fully controlled by Quan Chi's sorcery, Skarlet scanned the hellish environment she was in. It suited her. The Netherrealm itself was like a description of the emotion inside her. Rage, anger and hate. She could not wait to tear into Lord Raiden and the other Earthrealm warriors.

Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, and anyone else they had joined forces with would all feel her wrath and the sharp end of her swords for treating her like one of their own. It was disgusting to Skarlet, that they could consider her to be a weak, pathetic being like themselves. Especially Sub-Zero. Skarlet was certain he was now dead, after stabbing him and draining his blood, leaving him to die a slow death. But if he somehow managed to survive, Skarlet had no problem with a retry. Next time she would use her finisher on Sub-Zero and bathe in his blood until every last drop fell on her. It would serve him right, as the blood thirsty assassin could not believe she let him touch her body.

Quan Chi summoned Skarlet. She was at his side in a moment.

"Skarlet, you shall return to Earthrealm and rejoin with Lord Raiden and the others. They will be unaware of your defection. Learn any valuable information you can and return. Kill many on your way out…Scorpion will show you the portal." the sorcerer smiled.

Skarlet gave a single nod and left, as Scorpion led the way.

"Be quick with your work, **do not fail us." **Scorpion said to Skarlet as they headed towards the portal.

Skarlet continued to stare straight ahead with a focused look, her eyes were steel and ruthless.

"I never fail." she said coldly.

"We shall see." the demon replied as they reached the portal.

Skarlet headed towards it but was stopped by Scorpion. He grabbed her arm. She snatched her head towards him with a violent look. The demon pulled the sexy assassin close to his face.

"**If you do not complete your task, I will kill you myself..." **Scorpion promised.

"That will be impossible when I kill you first." Skarlet shot back before yanking her arm away and walking towards the portal, keeping her eyes on the demon a few moments longer before turning her head. Skarlet disappeared into the portal as Scorpion looked on.

* * *

Sub-Zero stumbled through the portal back into Earthrealm. He managed to return to the home he once shared with Skarlet. Her sweet scent still haunted the place and her belongings remained were she left them. It was a painful reminder to Kuai Liang of what he had just lost. He glanced around at the dark empty house and shuffled to a drawer and pulled out a medical kit. Sub-Zero pulled out a sterile needle and thread and began to stitch himself up.

The Cryomancer packed up all his belongings in boxes, keeping important items with him. He then proceeded to burn everything else out in the backyard as he planned to abandon the home while leaving no trace of his existence there. Sub-Zero left Skarlet's belongings alone and placed the diamond ring he got for her on the counter. Maybe some lucky girl would find and keep it, once the abandoned house had been seized.

Sub-Zero left the home behind without looking back. He was on his way to the Lin Kuei temple. Kuai Liang had no idea of what awaited him there. All Sub-Zero knew was that he had to find himself again. Tundra wanted to return to the way he was before all of this began.

Once Sub-Zero had retrained himself to be a cold-hearted killer, he would seek vengeance and kill both Scorpion and Skarlet. There would be no rest for the Cryomancer until they were both dead.

* * *

**The assembled Forces of Darkness and evil were almost ready. Soon the greatest war would begin.**

* * *

Comments, reviews, suggestions and any feedback is welcome.

-I plan on adding Frost to the mix very soon and building a very shaky relationship between her and Sub-Zero.

-It's pretty predictable that Skarlet will be free from Quan Chi's mind control sometime down the line and when she comes to her senses, things will get **really** interesting _quick._

_-_There are still tons of characters I want to add and it will take time to weave them all in.

-I want really want to complicate things by throwing Sareena into the Sub-Zero/Frost mix.

-Skarlet will have some exciting moments of her own with Ermac, Scorpion and Noob Saibot before she regains her senses. She will cause a rift in the Netherrealm.

-I really wanted to overpower the Forces of Darkness and stack all the odds against the good guys.

- Once they are in the story, Taven and Daegon are going to throw shit down. Another Kharacter I am fond of is Tremor, he's really cool and will make for some awesome scenes during the big battle.

-I am really excited about bringing in Blaze during the battle of Armageddon. Whoever takes out the top dawg, **becomes** the top dawg.

-I'm currently stuck on how I want things to go when Sub-Zero and Skarlet run into each other again. All I know is that I want it to be HUGE. It is going to get **juicy** when Skarlet sees Sub-Zero with Frost, but before that she may mix it up with Sareena first.

-More of everything to come. More action, blood, violence, drama, angst and definitely romance.

-Thanks for reading. Will update as soon as I can.


	2. Chapter 2 Return

**CHAPTER II**

* * *

Skarlet crossed the portal and arrived in Earthrealm. Quan Chi had reopened the same one that Shao Kahn used during the invasion. She found herself on the roof top of the cathedral where the emperor had met his doom. It was also above the usual gathering of the Earthrealm warriors and Skarlet would waste no time in finding her former team. So many events and important moments had taken place on the fabled area, that it caused Skarlet to remember a few of them.

Like a computer, the images that flashed through Skarlet's mind of her and Sub-Zero fighting side-by-side against Shao Kahn, the moment she sacrificed herself for him, and being brought back to life by Raiden were like glitches in her system that interfered with Quan Chi's programming and mind control.

Frustrated and disgusted with herself, Skarlet grunted and shook off the thoughts. The Hemomancer was upset with herself that she let a moment of weakness creep its way into her head.

Skarlet found the stairway and headed down towards the gathering area. She took a deep breath feeling the weight and pressure of the task bestowed upon her. It would not be easy. The cathedral was exactly they way she last saw it, with Lord Raiden and the others gathered where Skarlet predicted they would be. She noticed Lord Raiden, Sonya Blade, and Johnny Cage. Among them were new faces, fighters that she had never seen before.

There was a warrior that wore a red blindfold and had a large sword sheathed behind his back, a black man wearing red, monk-like armour, an obese, heavily bearded man who was short and held a staff, and an ancient looking being who wore his long grey hair tied in a single large braided ponytail. His eyes were pure white and looked very similar to Lord Raiden. He must have been a god.

_This might take a lot longer than I anticipate…_ Skarlet thought to herself. Her heart started to pound as she walked into view, with the others immediately noticing her.

"Skarlet!" Johnny Cage called out.

Sonya Blade ran up and hugged Skarlet, relieved that she had returned unharmed. Skarlet did not return the favor. "Skarlet! Your alive! We all have been so worried!"

Skarlet did not speak and had a cold look in her eyes.

Lord Raiden however, was sceptical of Skarlet's gracious return. He stared at her with a serious look, as if sensing that something was different about Sub-Zero's partner.

"Where is Sub-Zero?" Lord Raiden asked.

"He fell." Skarlet said flatly, with no emotion on her face.

"What!?" Sonya gasped, as she and Johnny Cage exchanged a look of confusion. Something was off. The Skarlet they knew would _not _be acting this way if something ever happened to Sub-Zero.

That was it. Lord Raiden wasn't buying it. There was something definitely wrong with Skarlet.

"**She is not herself! Everyone, GET CLEAR!" **Lord Raiden shouted, as Fujin, the god of wind picked up on the signal the same time Raiden did. Everything seemed to slow down in slow motion, as the god of wind shoved his palms out and used his power to force push everyone back, away from Skarlet.

Just as Lord Raiden finished his warning, Skarlet was already grabbing her swords and trying to slash at Sonya and Johnny, who were the nearest to her.

Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, Bo Rai Cho, and Kai were all lifted from the ground and shoved back by the power of Fujin. Kenshi and Lord Raiden took fighting stances as they were already a small distance away from the sleek attacker.

Skarlet leapt into the air, flipping and landing in front of Kenshi, and began to hack and slash away. Kenshi-still unaware of who Skarlet was- defended himself well as he used his own sword to block her attacks. The clash of metal echoed through the cathedral as the other fighters recovered and stormed into action to try and restrain Skarlet. Johnny ran up behind her while she fought with Kenshi and was met with a powerful kick to the chest, sending him back to the ground.

Lord Raiden shot a bolt of lightning that Skarlet anticipated, and leapt into the air to avoid it. Kenshi did the same, back flipping away as the lightning bolt crashed on the cathedral wall.

Skarlet tried to come crashing down on the thunder god with a blood drop, but Raiden managed to teleport away in time. The Hemomancer then red dashed towards Bo Rai Cho, sending him to the ground as he was much to slow to defend himself.

Sonya came running in with a right hook, but Skarlet blocked it and smashed her across the face with a left elbow. Sonya recovered, did a hand stand and used her legs to grab Skarlet, tossing her into the air and across the room. The sexy assassin rotated in mid air, and launched her kunai blades in multiple directions before landing on her feet.

Lord Raiden teleported to avoid a blade, while Kenshi slashed one away with his sword. Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage ducked to avoid being hit, while Kai leapt over another one of the projectiles.

Fujin used his power of wind to force a blade back, as Skarlet continued her assault and charged the forces of Earthrealm. She ran towards them and ducked a swinging right arm by Kai, jumped over Johnny Cage who tried to tackle her, and kicked Sonya Blade in the chest, sending her flying back.

Skarlet formed a blood ball and launched it at Kenshi, knocking him off his feet. Fujin shot a gust of wind that slammed Skarlet to the wall. Lord Raiden followed up with a blast of lightning to stun Skarlet, as he did not want to use a voltage powerful enough to hurt her. The god of thunder assumed that Skarlet was under some sort of mind control or sorcery, and hoped to recover her from the trance. He needed her alive.

The bolt of electricity shocked Skarlet, as she dropped to the ground with smoke rising from her body, The Hemomancer was tough, as she pulled herself up and continued to fight. The spell did not wear off as Skarlet was still in attack mode. She lunged at Kenshi, who used a telekinetic slash to slice and send her back. A cut opened on her abdomen causing it to bleed.

Kenshi then used a spirit charge to shoulder the Hemomancer to the ground. Skarlet responded by launching a blitzing fast kunai blade towards his face. Kenshi barely managed to dodge it, as the blade sliced his cheek. A drop of blood formed on his face and Skarlet glared at it, causing the wound to open and spilling more of his blood.

"Aaaaggggghhhhh" Kenshi cried out as he quickly put his palm up to his cheek.

Kai launched a fire ball as Skarlet got up, and she was knocked back in a burst of flames. The Hemomancer crashed to the ground several meters away and was slow to recover. Lord Raiden then flew into the air and sent bolts of lightning crashing down towards her.

Skarlet kicked up and used all of her adrenaline to evade the attacks. She dodged from side to side and made her way towards the stairs.

"STOP HER! **DO NOT **LET HER ESCAPE! WE NEED TO SAVE HER!" Lord Raiden shouted as he continued to spark bolts of lightning in an attempt to subdue her.

Skarlet continued to duck, dodge and leap over the electrical charges. She sprinted towards the stairway and saw that the other fighters leapt in front of it, blocking her from her path. Fujin used another gust of wind to knock Skarlet to the ground, but she recovered fast enough to avoid another blast of lightning.

She continued to run towards the warriors who were blocking her exit, while Raiden halted his lightning attack to charge Skarlet from the air. He was going to torpedo the Hemomancer in hopes of subduing her. Skarlet leapt into the air and stabbed herself with her sword, liquefying in a pool of blood and splashing on the wall.

She began to pool herself up as a puddle of blood, escaping through the cracks in the ceiling as the others could only stop and stare.

Skarlet quickly made her way to the roof top. She bubbled in a puddle of blood, and shaped into form. She sprinted towards the open portal which led back to the Netherrealm, but Lord Raiden appeared in a flash of blue lightning in front her, cutting her off. The thunder god held his palms out and begin to form another blast of lightning, but Skarlet continued her charge in his direction and leapt into the air, disappearing in a splash of blood.

The sleek tracker attempted to crash down on Lord Raiden from above and behind with a blood drop, but the thunder god anticipated the attack and teleported out of harms way. That was exactly what Skarlet wanted, as it bought her enough time to turn, and dash into the portal.

The portal closed as just as Skarlet finished crossing it, successfully escaping but also failing her mission. Scorpion was waiting for her return as he watched what had transpired on the roof top. The demon was the one responsible for closing the portal.

* * *

Lord Raiden watched as Skarlet disappeared through the portal and back into enemy territory. The other Earthrealm fighters joined him as they had all dashed up the stairs onto the roof top. Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade were at the thunder god's side first.

"Where is she? Where did Skarlet go?" Sonya panted.

"You mind telling us what the hell had just happened down there?" Johnny Cage asked. He was bent over and had his hands on his knees as he continued to catch his breath.

"Skarlet seems to be under some sort of mind control. She must have been sent by Quan Chi undercover to gather information or to assassinate us. The sorcerer knows Skarlet would not have been able to eliminate all of us, but if she had succeeded in killing key members of our group, it would severely cripple our forces." Lord Raiden stated.

Johnny Cage knew what Lord Raiden was really saying. "You mean if Skarlet _took _you out, we would all be done for…"

The god of thunder chose not to answer as Kenshi asked a question to change the topic.

"Lord Raiden, who was that skilled warrior?"

" Her name is Skarlet. She was created by Shao Kahn to be his ultimate enforcer and tracker. She was designed and tasked to eliminate any threats to the emperor himself. Skarlet soon realized that she was nothing more than his puppet and rebelled against him. Certain circumstances pushed her over the edge to fight for the forces of good rather than evil..." Lord Raiden explained. "She has since fallen under some sort of spell and is once again working for the enemy." he continued

Kenshi was confused. "Certain circumstances…?"

"Sub-Zero..." Johnny Cage said simply. After saying his name, the action star immediately began to miss the Cryomancer. Sub-Zero was the main reason Skarlet decided to fight on their side and he was now missing or dead.

* * *

Sub-Zero was home. He arrived at the Lin Kuei temple which is stationed in the mountains of China. Most of his former clan had disbanded after the fall of Shao Kahn, and the temple appeared lifeless. Nonetheless, Sub-Zero had to find out what remained of the Lin Kuei. The Cryomancer knew he would not be welcomed home, as he and Smoke had fled the clan, which was an act equivalent to treason. Still, Kuai Liang wanted answers about why the Lin Kuei decided to turn it's members into cyborgs. Sub-Zero was prepared to face whatever judgement the Grandmaster would bestow upon him as long as he answered his questions. Sub-Zero would not forget the moment his own clan tried to abduct and turn him into an artificial copy of himself.

Kuai Liang stormed the wooden bridge which led to the temple gates. What Sub-Zero found upon entering was a massacre. He found bodies of his former clan mates strewn all over the temple floors. There were wounded survivors scattered among the remains. A few of them looked up and were shocked to see that Sub-Zero had returned. Most of them were the younger Lin Kuei warriors who have not yet been through the cyber initiative.

"He has returned!"

"Tundra!" A few of them called out, still referring to his original codename. They were unaware that Kuai Liang had assumed his older brother's identity as Sub-Zero.

Sub-Zero crouched down next to a fallen clan mate. He was severely wounded and clutched his abdomen which bled profusely.

"What happened here!? Who is responsible for this?" Sub-Zero asked.

The young warrior was trembling. He held up a shaky hand and pointed towards the Grandmaster's chamber.

"S-S-…Sek…Sektor…h-he…" Just then, they heard a loud commotion come from inside the chamber. Sub-Zero quickly stood up and ran towards the chamber doors.

_Sektor. _Sub-Zero thought. The fool somehow managed to survive the fall of Shao Kahn, and Kuai Liang was going to make him pay for what he did. The Grandmaster was in danger, and Sub-Zero needed to act fast.

* * *

"**You have failed your mission! Now you will die!" **Scorpion raged, as his fists caught on fire. He grabbed his sword and raised it above his head. Scorpion was going to strike Skarlet when a green energy sent the demon flying back.

The telekinetic energy then grabbed a hold of Skarlet, and lifted her into the air. She did not struggle, and began to float towards an awaiting Ermac who had his fist held up, which was glowing green.

"**Your death belongs to us…did you think we would forget? The sorcerer was foolish to have revived us. His magic has no control over us!" **Ermac's many voices echoed. The resurrected warrior would now have his revenge. Ermac brought Skarlet close to his face, his intense green eyes glaring at the Hemomancer.

"**You will suffer a death worse than any being has ever been through…" **The telekinetic being promised.

Skarlet slowly moved her hand towards her thigh, and was about to grab a kunai blade to launch at Ermac's throat when suddenly, Scorpion appeared in a burst of flames and smashed the telekinetic warrior with a flaming right cross. Ermac went flying back as Skarlet was released from the energy grip and landed on her feet. She showed no emotion and watched as the two evil warriors were began a fight. They were both fools to think that they could kill her.

"**She is not bound to you! I promised her death for her failure!**" Scorpion screamed.

"**Now, I will kill you both!**"

Ermac recovered and shot a green force ball towards Scorpion, who vanished and reappeared behind him and attempted a hellfire punch. Ermac responded in kind by teleporting to avoid the attack, and trying a teleport punch of his own. Both warriors missed their targets, as they continued to out manoeuvre each other with similar attacks.

"**GET OVER HERE!" **Scorpion yelled as he launched a powerful spear from his palm. Ermac caught the chain with his telekinetic energy and sent it back towards the demon. Scorpion caught the chain with his other hand and ripped it out, tossing the spear to the side. He brought his swords out and prepared to charge Ermac, when another familiar voice spoke out, halting Scorpion.

"Fools, you are all nothing but children fighting amongst each other. How is it possible that Quan Chi and Lord Shinnok can deal with such idiocy?"

Skarlet spun her head around to see who dared to interrupt such an entertaining fight. Scorpion and Ermac stared in the same direction as they all saw a figure garbed in black with his arms crossed, leaning against a pillar. It was Noob Saibot, who had also been brought back.

The Wraith spoke. "None of you will be killing this insolent youngling…yet. Not until I have a word with her, about Kuai Liang…"

* * *

Sub-Zero made it to the chamber entrance in seconds. He looked inside to see Sektor standing by the throne, holding the Grandmaster's dead body up with one hand, and the Dragon Medallion in the other…

* * *

**The title of Lin Kuei Grandmaster is up for grabs. The warrior who walks away from this fight not only earns victory, but the title of Grandmaster and the Dragon Medallion as well…**

* * *

-I have decided to throw in Sektor's MK 9 ending into the mix, as I felt that it fits into the story so well.

-Now that I am getting through Sub-Zero's return to the Lin Kuei, I can soon add Frost to his life.

-The 4-way between Skarlet, Ermac, Scorpion and Noob Saibot is just beginning. I hope to stir in some "bad romance" to that quartet.

-I will be adding more good guys to Lord Raiden's forces of light. Lord Shinnok and the forces of darkness are a little top-heavy, so I'm thinking about having a couple of people defecting.

-Quan Chi's mind control is diluting, due to the mass amounts of warrriors he has under control. His magic will subside.

-I have not forgotten about Sareena. Just when Skarlet thinks her stresses in the Netherrealm are over, the juicy drama will begin. Still deciding if I should throw in some Noob/Sareena action as Bi-Han does have history with her.

-Once again, please review, suggest or leave any feedback you think will be helpful. I really do want to make this story as interactive as possible, so to any readers who request a specific event to happen, I will do my best to deliver.

-There are just way too many characters and separate story lines in this that it will be very difficult for me to track and elaborate on everybody. I once again ask for your patience as I try to masterfully blend it all together. Thanks for reading.

- I hope to update again in 2 weeks.


	3. Chapter 3 Transformation

-The good news is I have finished chapter 3 a lot faster than I thought I would.

-The bad news is I am mentally burnt out and need a break!

-Oh how I love working with the "mean Skarlet" again!

-Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**CHAPTER III**

* * *

Sub-Zero was too late. Sektor had already killed the Lin Kuei Grandmaster.

"SEKTOR! What is _this_ madness?!" Sub-Zero yelled.

"**The time has come to take the Lin Kuei in a new direction**..." the cyborg stated in a robotic voice.

"HE WAS YOUR _FATHER_!" Sub-Zero screamed, as the Cryomancer still could not comprehend what he was seeing. Sektor dropped the lifeless body of the Grandmaster to the floor.

"**He was inferior**…**The Lin Kuei is in need of a new master.**" Sektor replied. The cyborg had no remorse for eliminating his own flesh and blood. The crimson fluid continued to spill out of the corpse as the cyborg then held up the dragon medallion.

"**With this, I shall now take control of the Lin Kuei and become more powerful than ever before!**"

"The circuits and wires in your body have left you delusional, old friend..." Sub-Zero claimed.

Kuai Liang could not afford to have Sektor place the artifact around his neck or anywhere else on his armour. The dragon medallion granted its bearer immense power and required discipline to control it. Sub-Zero was certain that Sektor lacked even the slightest bit and would destroy himself. The Cryomancer clenched his fists as a cold mist began to emanate from them.

"I cannot allow you to do that..." Sub-Zero said coldly.

"**Do not interfere with my plans!" **Sektor yelled in his mechanical voice as his chest plate opened up, revealing a missile that was pointed in Sub-Zero's direction. The explosive projectile then burst out of the cyborg's chest and blasted its way towards the Cryomancer.

* * *

"**Like HELL you will!" **Scorpion yelled at Noob Saibot, as the demon stormed his way towards the wraith. The two spectres were face-to-face and glared at each other.

Ermac teleported away in flash of green light.

"**Her blood belongs to me…" **Scorpion stated, referring to Skarlet.

" I belong to _**no one!**_**" **Skarlet shot. She was disgusted that the three idiotic ninjas quarrelled over her fate. Skarlet would end any one of them that came near her.

"**SILENCE!" **Scorpion growled at her, as he then returned his attention to Noob.

"**I killed you once before, I would be glad to repeat history…"**

"And I would be glad to kill you again as well…" Noob Saibot replied. Scorpion glared at him.

Do you not remember? Did that hollow skull beneath your mask already begin to collect dust?" the wraith asked.

"**I remember everything, and it seems that we have a score to settle…" **Scorpion declared as he slowly reached for his sword. Noob Saibot held up his hand.

"Indeed we do…but first, you will allow me to speak with this youngling…then you may do as you please with her."

Skarlet scoffed at the stupid offer. The whole situation was ridiculous.

"**Very well…go and speak with the witch!" **Scorpion said, as he disappeared in burst of flames.

Skarlet was left alone with the wraith. Although she owed nothing to anyone, she was still intrigued by what Noob Saibot had to ask about Sub-Zero. The wraith turned towards her as a small twisted smile formed on his ghastly face.

"So my dear…it seems that you have spent a lot of time with my brother. I take it that you _enjoyed_ his company?" the wraith asked coyly.

"He manipulated me and _enjoyed _my body…I ended his life in return."

"Hmm…you **exaggerate**…" Noob Saibot replied.

"Do I…?" Skarlet asked.

"Kuai Liang is alive…You underestimate the skill of my family."

"That is a lie…I killed Sub-Zero in cold blood."

"You are wrong…**he lives**…"

"How could you possibly know that?"

"I have seen more than you know. A benefit for serving a dark sorcerer such as Quan Chi…how else would I have discovered about your trysts with my younger brother?"

Skarlet was getting more and more annoyed by the second. The assassin didn't exactly like how others could view her personal life like a television show or read it as if it were a story. She slowly shook her head in disappointment.

"What is that you want?" she asked the wraith.

"Revenge…You will be a useful distraction when I finally do what you could not…and kill Sub-Zero."

Noob Saibot still did not like referring to Kuai Liang as Sub-Zero. Bi-Han felt that a weakling-such as his brother-was not worthy to assume the codename.

"His death is mine, and mine only…" Skarlet replied. "He tried to enslave me and ruin my existence. I owe Sub-Zero a lifetime of torture."

Noob Saibot laughed in a ghastly manner and shook his head. "The mind control Quan Chi has over you is strong…The sorcerer's magic must be powerful, as it completely masks how you truly feel about Kuai Liang. I sense much conflict within you…"

Skarlet was confused. Mind control? What was Noob talking about?

"Hey, **HEY**! What does that **mean**?!" Skarlet asked while trying to stop the wraith from walking away. Noob Saibot started to dematerialize as she tried to grab him.

"**Answer me!" **The sleek assassin screamed, as she could still hear the wraith's laugh as he faded away.

Skarlet was left alone. "Damn you…" she whispered. She was never more frustrated in her existence as there were more riddles and drama in the Netherrealm, than in a soap opera.

Sareena, Kia, and Jataaka watched from a distance as the Hemomancer looked lost.

"Poor little girl…I wonder if we should just put her out of her misery now…" Kia said, hoping that Sareena would agree.

"Not yet…although she has been through so much already, I am afraid her troubles are just beginning. I wonder what business she has with Bi-Han…" Sareena answered, clearly jealous that this 'Skarlet' has gotten more attention from the Lin Kuei brothers than she did.

Sareena had history with both Bi-Han and Kuai Liang, as she had met the brothers separately long before the first Mortal Kombat tournament. And although she wasn't exactly sure what went on between Skarlet and Sub-Zero, she was definitely going to get to the bottom of it for her own personal reasons.

"I need a word with the girl myself." The sexy demon stated.

* * *

Sub-Zero formed an ice clone and leapt backwards out of it, as Sektor's missile crashed into the ice statue. The rocket exploded on contact, sending chunks flying in every direction. The cyborg had difficulty seeing through the smoke as he scanned the area. A beam of ice shot in towards Sektor from behind the smoke and the cyborg managed to dive to his right and avoid being frozen.

Sub-Zero came charging in, yelling as he leapt into the air and smashed Sektor with a jump kick to the chest. The attack sent the mechanical being on his back, while knocking the dragon medallion out of his hands in the process. Sektor recovered quickly and blasted streams of fire towards the Cryomancer. Sub-Zero ice slid under the attack and tripped up his fellow clan mate, sending him backwards onto the ground again. Sektor kicked up into a standing position before disappearing into a cybernetic portal below him and resurfacing from underneath Sub-Zero, and staggering the Cryomancer with a soaring teleport uppercut.

Sub-Zero crashed unto his back, and barely managed to roll out of the way, as Sektor came crashing down with a fist. Kuai Liang then took out the cyborg's legs as he swept him with a leg sweep. Sub-Zero quickly crawled on top of Sektor-achieving a full mount position-and began raining down punches. The Cryomancer's hard fists slammed down on the cyborg's hard metal face. _**CLANG, CLANG, CLANG**_.

The impacts could be heard throughout the Lin Kuei temple, as the surviving clan members began to stir and shuffle their way towards the Grandmaster's chamber. They needed to witness the epic fight between their elite clan mates, and see who would come out victorious as the winner would then claim the leadership of the Lin Kuei.

Sub-Zero summoned his might, raised a fist up and brought it down hard, but Sektor caught it with one mechanical hand. The cyborg then used his other to yank Kuai Liang down before smashing Sub-Zero with a head butt and tossing him to the side.

Sektor got up and stalked towards the Cryomancer who rolled away and gathered himself. The cyborg then grabbed the back of Sub-Zero's neck, lifted him off the ground and crunched the ice warrior's face with repeated blows from his metal fist. Sub-Zero's mask crumpled from the force.

Sektor then brought a hard knee to Sub-Zero's sternum before throwing him across the chamber. The cyborg opened up his chest plate again, aiming upwards and firing off another missile. The rocket shot up and arched, coming down towards Sub-Zero as the projectile had locked on to it's target.

Kuai Liang needed to act quickly.

In a split second he debated on either freezing the missile, or ice sliding towards Sektor and attacking him. Sub-Zero chose neither as he formed another ice clone and back flipped out of it-just in time-to escape the explosion.

The force of the blast sent the Cryomancer flying back, and slamming against the temple wall. Sub-Zero recovered and looked up to see Sektor open up the flame burner devices on his wrists and spit streams of fire towards him. The Cryomancer opened up his ice beam to counter the attack. The blasts of fire and ice crashed into each other, creating a stalemate. Sektor activated more power from within his robotic body and transferred it to the flamethrowers on his wrists, causing the stream of fire to intensify as it fought against the charging beam of ice.

Sweat began to drip from Sub-Zero's forehead as he could feel the heat and pressure of Sektor's attack inch closer towards him. The flames began to overpower his stream of ice and Kuai Laing had to dig deep within himself to find the strength and fight back. A glitter from a shiny object on the floor caught his eye, as Sub-Zero spared a split second glance towards it.

It was the dragon medallion, which was the symbol of leadership for the Lin Kuei, and an artefact that enhanced the powers and abilities of those who owned it.

Sub-Zero would not-_**could not**__-_allow Sektor to gain control of it. Just the very sight of the amulet sent an adrenaline rush through out the Cryomancer's body and he unleashed all of his might into his attack. There a was huge ripple in the ice beam as it grew larger and pushed back against Sektor's flames.

It was the cyborg now who felt the pressure, and could not understand where Sub-Zero was getting his strength from. Sektor's system began to overheat as his flamethrowers were beginning to spark and malfunction. The cyborg was running out of power as he realized he would either be frozen, killed, or shut down for good. Sektor decided to take the cowards way out, as he launched another missile from under his chest plate.

The rocket blasted straight into the clash of fire and ice, and caused a massive explosion. The burst of energy and power damaged Sektor heavily, as the cyborg was blasted back.

The impact shook the entire Lin Kuei temple, as the stray beams of ice and fire had damaged most of the Grandmaster's chamber. Parts of the ceiling and sections of the walls were either burnt black with fire, or covered with patches of ice.

The smoke and dust settled as Sub-Zero was left standing.

Kuai Liang scanned through the rubble, as he searched for his opponent. A few meters away from him, Sektor lay damaged in the middle of a crater, parts of his cybernetic body were sparking and busted open. His metal armour was severely damaged and looked like hell. Sub-Zero found him and could not tell if the dark blue liquid that poured out of his wounds were blood or mechanical oil.

The cyborg barely resembled Sektor. Kuai Liang already considered his fellow clan mate lost when Sektor had allowed himself to be transformed. Sub-Zero pitied him. He was startled when the red cyborg moved.

Sektor was not dead. The blue lights of his eyes flickered on-and then vanished-as Sektor escaped by teleporting away in green cybernetic light.

Sub-Zero sighed as he had hoped to finish Sektor off, and end the cyborg's miserable existence. Kuai Liang looked up and around at the damage they caused. Sub-Zero was deeply saddened to see that the sacred temple he worshipped, was completely destroyed.

The shiny object on the ground continued to glitter, catching his attention as if it were somehow calling out to him. Sub-Zero walked over and picked up the dragon medallion and held it in his hand, being careful not to place the artefact on himself.

Kuai Liang then looked up to see that his surviving clan mates were staring at him, as they had witnessed what unfolded. One by one, each of the members placed there right fist over their chest, bowed, and kneeled before him. Sub-Zero was now the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei.

* * *

Lord Raiden and the other Earthrealm warriors regrouped and continued to gather more fighters on their side.

Bo Rai Chi enlisted the help of Li Mei,an Outworlder he had trained himself. Her fellow villagers were forced into slavery to help construct Shang Tsung's palace and Li Mei wanted revenge on the ones responsible for enslaving her people. She was excellent in hand-to-hand combat, and had a deadly back flip kick. Li Mei would serve well against the Forces of Darkness.

Bo Rai Chi also recruited Shujinko, a very powerful warrior who had traveled widely through the realms, having his innate combat talent grow drastically, due to the fact that he had the capability to observe, and wield the abilities of warriors that he came across.

Lord Raiden was still upset with himself for letting Skarlet escape and get away. The thunder god knew she could easily be turned if he had the opportunity to remove Quan Chi's mind control. The Forces of Light were going to need every warrior they could find, if they were to have any chance of stopping Lord Shinnok and Quan Chi.

Lord Raiden was still unsure of Sub-Zero's fate, and the thunder god believed in his heart that Kuai Liang had the cunning ability to survive insurmountable odds. The god of thunder also hated to see that the beautiful connection between Sub-Zero and Skarlet, could be lost forever due to a filthy tactic such as mind control. Raiden would make Quan Chi pay dearly for his crimes.

* * *

Skarlet felt tired, weak, and irritable.

Her energy was drained from battle with the Earthrealm forces and on top of that, the ongoing drama with the trio of Scorpion, Ermac, and Noob Saibot, added to her stress. The sexy tracker also had not consumed blood in a long while and she needed to drain some fast. Skarlet assumed that Lord Shinnok and Quan Chi would be displeased if she began to slice and dig in on their own forces.

The Hemomancer's boredom in the Netherrealm sent her over the top, as Skarlet then decided that she was going to request a portal into Outworld from Quan Chi. She desperately needed to slice somebody open, and absorb their blood.

Skarlet licked her lips at the thought of consuming the delicious crimson fluid. She made her way through the burning hills of the Netherrealm to find Quan Chi's throne. Skarlet would also need a break from the heat as she preferred being in the cold-it was also the reason she wore very revealing clothing and little armour-she always warm.

Just then, another mental glitch flashed through her mind as she was reminded of how she loved the cool touch of Sub-Zero's body pressed up against hers. His icy arms wrapped around her warm body created the perfect temperature between them. Sub-Zero's mouth connecting with Skarlet's red lips-now a distant memory- being the last image disappearing into a warp in her mind. It was then followed by a sudden head rush which dropped the Hemomancer to one knee. Skarlet clutched her skull as if a big headache had blitzed its way into her brain from out of nowhere.

Skarlet bent her head over, and her eyes squeezed shut from the pain.

"What's the matter pretty girl, is your migraine acting up?" a female voice said in a sarcastic tone.

Skarlet lifted her head to see who it was, her eyes still squinting from the subsiding pain. A woman wearing black and red attire stood before her. Her outfit was very revealing-much like her own- and provocative. She had a tattoo-like design over her face, with a white streak on her hair and wore black lipstick to top it off. It was an intense getup.

"_What_?' Skarlet hissed, as she stood up from her crouched position, still shaking off the last dregs of her thoughts.

"You know you really shouldn't trust demonic wraiths in black…" The gothic looking woman said, referring to Noob Saibot.

Skarlet was getting really grumpy with everything that was happening to her in the Netherrealm.

"Who are you, and what do you want?"

"My name is Sareena, and I'm warning you to _stay away _from Bi-Han..."

Not that Skarlet really ever cared about the wraith, but she was intrigued by Sareena's warning and what she would do if Skarlet chose to ignore it. If Sareena was looking for a fight, the Hemomancer would have no problem slicing up her like a sushi roll and consuming her blood.

"And if I don't?"

"Then, I will _put you away_…**For good**."

* * *

The Lin Kuei gathered and approached Sub-Zero, who glanced around at the young faces surrounding him. He still had a hard time digesting that they were no longer his fellow clan mates, but now his followers. The sound of Lin-Kuei-Grandmaster-Sub-Zero was going to take a lot of getting used to.

"Wear the amulet master…" a member urged.

Sub-Zero looked down at the dragon medallion in his hand and was hesitant about placing the artefact on himself. He knew that doing so would forever change his life and seal him as the new leader of the legendary clan. Out of the blue, Sub-Zero thought about Skarlet and how much joy she gave him. For that moment he missed everything about Skarlet dearly.

Her sweet scent, soft touch, beautiful face-and the way she would look into his eyes as they loved-all haunted Sub-Zero. He was also then reminded of how much pain she caused him and the fact that he would never get her back. Sub-Zero remembered that he owed Skarlet and Scorpion a deadly visit. Kuai Liang quickly placed the dragon medallion on his chest without further hesitation.

Sub-Zero felt an immediate burst of power and energy surge through his body. Kuai Liang tensed as his muscles became harder and more defined. The medallion was glowing blue as it continued to transform the Cryomancer. The experience was unlike anything Kuai Liang had ever felt. The collective wisdom of the previous bearers were now implanted in his mind, and his acute senses had sharpened dramatically.

Sub-Zero clenched his fists as he struggled internally. He could feel the power of the medallion try to overcome him, but after years of hard training, the Cryomancer possessed the strength and discipline required to control the artefact. Sub-Zero felt much more stronger physically, and that his powers had reached an omnipotent level. The transformation was complete. The Lin Kuei Grandmaster now possessed freezing abilities he never thought possible.

The Lin Kuei watched with wide eyes as their jaws dropped, and that they had just witnessed the arrival of their new Grandmaster. The clan had never seen the passing of the medallion, or the ascension of a new leader. One member trembled as he stepped forward and spoke.

"What is your command, master Tundra?"

It felt like Sub-Zero already knew the answers and commands he would give before he even thought about them.

"You will send out emissaries and have them spread word to the Lin Kuei around Earthrealm to return immediately…and I will no longer be referred to as Tundra, as I have assumed the identity of Sub-Zero."

"Yes, Sub-Zero." The Lin Kuei member answered, before bowing and turning to complete his duty.

Kuai Liang's confidence was surging, as he had never felt more sure of his decisions in life.

"The rest of you, pack up what belongings we will need. We will be relocating our clan to a new temple."

* * *

Quan Chi walked out of a portal and returned to the Netherrealm from Outworld. With him were two powerful looking warriors. The three approached Lord Shinnok, who waited at his throne with Scorpion at his side.

Quan Chi bowed, and held his hand up. "As you request my lord…I present Reiko, general of Shao Kahn's army."

"General of** Shinnok's** army…" The fallen Elder God corrected. "Reiko had served me well before he even met Shao Kahn..." Shinnok continued as he welcomed Reiko.

Quan Chi also presented another warrior who would join the forces of darkness. The warrior was ninja-like in appearance, donning a black and purple outfit with gold accents.

"This is Rain, he is of Edenian descent. He marches against his own brethren. Rain was denied leadership of his own resistance forces and has pledged his allegiance to your Army of Darkness."

"Excellent. The southlands of Edenia will be the first piece of land to feel our wrath." Lord Shinnok promised.

"Our forces are growing with each passing moment, soon all of the realms will crumble under the might of the Netherrealms onslaught!" The fallen Elder God declared. Raising his hands in the air as if to actually see his destiny splashed across the sky.

Quan Chi turned to Scorpion.

"Where is the Hemomancer? I would like to speak to her about her mission in Earthrealm."

"**As you wish…" **Scorpion replied as he bowed his head, putting his fist over his chest, before teleporting away in a burst of flames.

* * *

Skarlet slowly reached behind her back and pulled out her swords, holding them down at her sides.

"I would _really _love to see you try…" the sleek assassin taunted.

"Oh please, little girl…put those away before you end up hurting yourself." Sareena said, placing her hands on her hips, and completely unfazed by Skarlet's move.

"Besides, I'm not finished talking to you yet…"

"I would rather you just get the hell out of my way." Skarlet shot.

Sareena ignored her. "Tell me what happened with Kuai Liang."

"Why? What does it matter to you anyway?"

"I have history with his brother Bi-Han. I met him long ago and have the right to know if any harm has been done to my friend's brother. I also understand you had a relationship with him…"

"We had no relationship, he manipulated me and used my body as his personal object…He paid dearly for his mistake."

"I don't believe that…The sorcerer's magic has got you so twisted…"

Skarlet was in denial as Quan Chi's sorcery had a strong grip on her mind. "_**Enough **_of this 'magic' nonsense! I know what I've been through and what I have experienced! When I came to my senses and realized what Sub-Zero was doing to me, I ended his _life_!"

Sareena gasped and held a hand to her mouth. "You_ lie…_" she whispered.

Sareena began to shake as the pain she felt from hearing the news, suddenly turned into anger.

Skarlet saw how Sareena felt about Sub-Zero and decided to play a little mind game to send her over the edge. She sensed that Sareena cared much for Kuai Liang, and would try the jealousy card. The sleek assassin smirked underneath her red mask. She dropped her voice to a mock whisper.

"You really wanna know what happened between us? Do you really want me to tell you about the way he _touched _me? The way he _kissed _me?" Skarlet said as she began to slowly rub her hands all over her body, as if to mimic the way Sub-Zero put his hands on her.

"…Or about how I ravaged him over, and over, and _over_ again in bed, before ending his life?"

Sareena was disgusted and furious at the same time, as her demonic form wanted to burst out of her body and chomp the little tramp down into bits of flesh. She looked Skarlet in the eye with intense fury and was just seconds away from tearing into the slender warrior. Skarlet gripped her swords tight and was prepared to stab, hack, and slash away at Sareena, the second she made a move.

Kia and Jataaka, Sareena's partners as Quan Chi's assassins, mystically materialized at her sides and held her arms, restraining her. Kia looked up at the Hemomancer, who was surprised by their sudden appearance.

"Come on Sareena, this little red witch isn't worth it. She'll get what's coming to her…" Kia said, still glaring at Skarlet as she pulled Sareena back.

"Now is not the time…we'll get her soon." Jataaka promised.

Out of nowhere Scorpion appeared in a flash of flames at Skarlet's side. The demon looked at the trio of girls, as two of them struggled to pull the other away and then back at Skarlet.

"**Come, Quan Chi will see you now." **Scorpion said, as he quickly put his hand on her shoulder, and the two vanished in a burst of flames.

* * *

Lord Raiden and the other Earthrealm forces were gathered at the cathedral when the thunder god received another vision. Johnny Cage, Sonya and the others all sat up and gathered around Raiden as he stood still, staring into space while taking in what the vision was showing him. After a few moments the thunder god returned to the present.

"Lord Raiden, what is it? What did you see?" Fujin asked.

Raiden took a deep breath and sighed. "The forces of darkness are gathering immense strength. We are greatly outnumbered and I fear that the Elder Gods will lend no hand in preventing Armageddon."

"Do not despair Lord Raiden, we will summon more warriors and fight with everything we have. I am confident our abilities will be up to the task." Kenshi said, trying to instil hope in the Earthrealms protector.

Lord Raiden nodded and gave a faint smile to the blind warrior, before looking up and offering a silent prayer. Whether or not it would be heard by anyone or any deity was the thunder god's guess, but he did so anyway.

* * *

Early returns of the Lin Kuei clan members that were spread across Earthrealm turned up good numbers. Sub-Zero was pleased to see that the semi-disbanded clan managed to stay somewhat intact. The numbers were decent enough to rebuild the legendary clan. One warrior in particular, caught the Grandmaster's eye.

Sub-Zero turned to the nearest follower.

"Who is that warrior?" he said, pointing to a young female clan member. She had ice blue spiky hair, wore a black and blue form fitting uniform similar to Kuai Liang's and sharp blue eyes. They mysterious warrior gave off a vibe that attracted Sub-Zero. It was as if she exuded a familiar energy. The Grandmaster was certain that the girl harnessed capabilities similar to his own.

"Her name is Frost, she is one of the newer recruits…"

* * *

**A new era for the Lin Kuei has begun. With a new Grandmaster, the legendary clan sets out to find another place to call home. **_**Meanwhile, troubles for the lovely Skarlet will continue to multiply…**_

* * *

-Hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was definitely a ball-buster for me.

-Thanks again for being patient as I try to piece this massive puzzle together.

-I am still very aware of the other characters I need to add, while also concentrating on Sub-Zero and Skarlet.

-Taven and Daegon will be coming in later chapters.

-Frost is in, now the juicy stuff can begin! (Hey it rhymes)

-Noob Saibot will request and enlist the help of Smoke, forming the Noob-Smoke team, and hunting down Sub-Zero.

-I won't be releasing Skarlet from Quan Chi's mind control just yet, there is too much drama I still need to put her through.

-If I am inaccurate with anything regarding the characters, please let me know, I will be glad to fix it! : - )

Here is an index of who is on the good side and who is on the bad. (Just in case you lost track)

* Means character will defect

**Forces of Light **

Raiden

Johnny Cage

Sonya Blade

Kenshi

Bo Rai Chi

Fujin

Kai

Li Mei

Shujinko

( Not yet recruited )

Taven

Ashrah

**Lin Kuei (Forces of Light)**

Sub-Zero

Frost*

**Forces of Darkness**

Lord Shinnok

Quan Chi

Scorpion

Onaga

Skarlet*

Daegon

Rain

Reiko

Sareena*

Kia

Tia

Dairou

Havik

Hotaru

Hsu Hao

Kira

Kobra

Mavado

Nitara

Tanya

Jarek

** Fallen Forces of Shao Kahn (Forces of Darkness)**

Shao Kahn

Ermac

Noob Saibot*

Shang Tsung

Reptile

Sindel

Goro

Kintaro

Motaro

Sheeva

Kano

Cyrax

Sektor

Mileena

**Fallen Earthrealm warriors (Forces of Darkness)**

Liu Kang (spirit form)

Kitana

Jade

Jax

Smoke*

Kurtis Stryker

Nightwolf

Kung Lao

-Thanks for reading. Remember, any suggestions, reviews, or feedback is welcome.

Will update when I can.

Let the games begin!


	4. Chapter 4 Frost bite

**Author's note.**

-I have decided to change things up a bit and try something new.

-I have changed Frost's position in the Lin Kuei, to having her already be a member, as opposed to winning a tournament to be introduced into the clan.

-The tournament will still be taking place, but I will change a few things and won't dig too deep into it, as I want to focus on characters more central to the story.

-I have decided to make Frost's intro as a POV.

-Hope you enjoy!

* * *

_**Frost**_

* * *

_I was out on a mission when I received word to return to the temple immediately. Apparently something big had gone down and all the remaining clan members who did not go rogue or die, had to come home._

_I returned to the Lin Kuei temple as ordered. Upon my arrival, I first learned about the Grandmaster's fate and that Sub-Zero-a fellow clan member whom I've never met, but heard so much about-had returned to avenge, and succeed the Grandmaster as the new leader._

_Becoming the Lin Kuei Grandmaster has always been my ultimate goal and dream, since joining the clan. At a young age, I developed fighting skills that were superior to my peers, and also possessed the uncanny ability to control ice, freezing my opponents at will. I was unstoppable._

_It was during the invasion of Earthrealm by Shao Kahn's forces that I realized that I had to protect myself from future threats. Luckily, my abilities kept me alive and were scouted by a Lin Kuei member. I was recruited quickly._

_The new grandmaster who was originally codenamed Tundra. He had assumed his fallen brother's identity, and ordered immediate shut down of the cyber initiative. It didn't matter to me because there was no way I would ever agree to becoming some sort of robot. I am fine just the way I am._

_Sub-Zero also planned to relocate the clan to an ancient temple in Arctika, which had been abandoned. While messengers were out tracking us down, the Grandmaster also ordered another party to scope out new digs and find us a new place to call home. Boy that was fast. What a shame, I was starting to get used to this place._

_When I first joined, I heard plenty of whispers among the clan, claiming that the original Sub-Zero -Bi-Han , his brother -Kuai Liang who was Tundra, and Tomas "Smoke" Vrbada were considered "legends" of the clan, as they completed their tasks and assignments masterfully. I wish I had met and saw them in action as I wanted to see how I measured up._

_As soon as I returned and saw the temple, I thought it looked like it had been through a war. I stepped inside the ruined shack-and saw him. I fought hard to keep my jaw from dropping. His sharp blue eyes froze me in my tracks. The white fog of his breath escaping though his mask was stunning and hot. All of the other clan members surrounded him like he was a movie star or someone to be worshipped... And rightfully so. The man was the living definition of confidence, power, and leadership. He exuded energy and skill; a complete one-eighty of our previous Grandmaster._

_I also found the new Grandmaster to be very attractive…as well as the medallion on his chest. That little amulet meant everything to me. Owning that would grant me all the power I could ever dream of. I would one day rule the Lin Kuei. Nothing was going to stop me from achieving my goal…**nothing**. But first, I would need to work my way up...I had to get closer to Sub-Zero. I would need his trust-and possibly his companionship- to get closer to what I truly desire…Soon , the Lin Kuei __**will be mine**__…all mine…_

_I could barely contain my excitement. I __**could not **__wait to meet the new Grandmaster…_

* * *

**CHAPTER IV**

* * *

Sub-Zero was intrigued by Frost, as he had never met the new recruit. Kuai Liang sensed much power in her and was anxious to see her skills in combat. It was in that moment that-once the clan had finished packing and relocating to the palace in Arcitka- -Sub-Zero decided he would hold a tournament within the Lin Kuei, to see who would emerge victorious. The winner would recieve a special privilege as a prize. He had no doubt that this "Frost" would make it very far.

Although he would not announce what the prize was at first, Kuai Liang would give the winner the opportunity the to be trained by the Grandmaster himself, becoming his protégé. Sub-Zero knew that when his time as the clan's leader came to an end, he would need a successor to take over.

Sub-Zero kept his eyes on the young warrior, as she did the same. Kuai Liang watched as Frost approached him.

"Greetings master, I am Frost…" the young warrior said, before slightly bowing her head.

"Welcome young warrior, I am Sub-Zero… I assume that you have been debriefed on the situation…"

"Yes master…the clan will be relocating soon I hear."

"Indeed, an ancient temple has been found in the icy region of Arctika. The cold environment shall act as a defence against potential enemies and keep us uninterrupted from training… Together as a clan, we will rebuild the Lin Kuei there."

Frost smiled a cute smile. "I have no problem dealing with cold weather, master…"

The young warrior then proceeded to display her abilities by creating an ice statue of herself in amazing speed. Sub-Zero's eyes went wide with amazement as it had a been long time since someone other than himself had displayed the powers to control ice. Kuai Liang was amazed that someone other than he or his brother-possessed powers similar to their own.

Since donning the dragon medallion, Sub-Zero did not yet have an opportunity to test out his new abilities. Judging by the energy he felt inside himself, Sub-Zero was confident he could form the same exact statue Frost made in under half the time it took her. The Grandmaster chose not to upstage the young woman.

"You have an amazing gift, young one…"

"Hopefully you will get the chance the see _how much more_ amazing I am…" Frost said, her eyes twinkling.

Sub-Zero tilted his head slightly, a little taken aback by his pupils forward behaviour. Nonetheless, it was nothing to be concerned about, as Kuai Liang assumed that Frost-being very young-was eager to display, and show off her skills.

"Perhaps you will get the chance young warrior…sooner than you think…" Sub-Zero said, as he was referring to the tournament he had in mind.

"Really? Tell me more master…" Frost asked with excitement.

"Patience Frost…In time I shall reveal my plans for the Lin Kuei... I'm certain you will not be disappointed."

Frost's smile seemed to fade a little. "Yes master…"

Sub-Zero then turned to the rest of the clan.

"Continue to gather what belongings are of importance and supplies that we will need…Soon, we will relocate to our new temple, _and_ our new home…"

Frost was impressed with how confident and strong Sub-Zero was. She eye-balled the gleaming medallion on his chest as he finished speaking. Kuai Liang caught Frost's gaze with his, and for a moment, the two stared just stared into each other's eyes, neither of them looking away. Sub-Zero broke the connection-blinking first, as he gave a nod and smiled, before turning away.

Sub-Zero began to walk through the small crowd, leaving Frost where she stood.

The young warrior sighed as she stared after him. _Dreamy…_she thought to herself, as Frost was referring to the medallion first...then it's owner.

* * *

Skarlet and Scorpion appeared before Quan Chi in a flash of flames.

"**The Hemomancer, as you ordered…" **Scorpion said as he shoved the sexy tracker with one hand towards the sorcerer.

Skarlet stumbled two steps forward, and spun around to glare at the demon with a clenched fist. She wanted to slash Scopion's throat open right then and there, indulging in his blood in front of Quan Chi. Skarlet held herself together. She turned and faced the sorcerer who had a smug look on his face.

"Ah…My dear Skarlet…give me the details of your mission in Earthrealm. How is Lord Raiden and friends?" Quan Chi asked.

"**The little witch has failed her mission! She should pay with her useless li-"**

Quan Chi held up a hand to cut Scorpion off as he wanted to hear what the Hemomancer had to say. Skarlet grit her teeth and chose to ignore the demonic bastard.

"Raiden and the others have already begun amassing forces to defy you. Although their numbers are few, the warriors possess great power and skill."

Quan Chi was intrigued. "So…Lord Raiden has assembled a battalion against us…No matter, our forces are too great for even the god of thunder to overcome…"

"Indeed." Skarlet replied.

"Tell me young warrior, what was year death count...?"

"I killed none…the Earthrealm fighters and their new recruits were prepared and very skilled. Raiden telegraphed my intentions…"

Quan Chi seemed to understand, as battling the thunder-god and his group of mortals was no easy task…especially when fighting them alone.

"Very well…you may go…" the sorcerer dismissed.

Skarlet turned to leave, but stopped herself. "I request a portal into Outworld, the battle with Lord Raiden has left me drained and weak…I require blood…" the Hemomancer asked.

Quan Chi studied Skarlet's face as he decided what to do. The sorcerer couldn't risk having Skarlet leave on her own as an ambush by Earthrealm forces could release her from his mind control. She was a very good expendable asset. Her cunning abilities and fighting prowess would serve Lord Shinnok well in the battle of Armageddon. Quan Chi needed Skarlet at her full strength.

The sorcerer held up a green glowing fist as he opened up a portal.

"Request granted…and Scorpion shall accompany you…"

Great. Just when Skarlet thought she would finally be getting some peace and quiet for herself, Mr. Creepy decided to give her Mr. Grumpy as a babysitter. Skarlet sighed and accepted, as it was better than nothing and hanging around in the Netherrealm. Besides, Skarlet wasn't looking forward to running into Sareena again. She began to make her way to the portal as Scorpion turned to Quan Chi.

"**What duty is this?!" **the demon asked.

"Patience Scorpion…we cannot risk losing the Hemomancer. If she were to encounter Lord Raiden again, the thunder god can turn her against us…"

Although Scorpion agreed, he still was not happy with being a child minder. It was bad enough that he was no longer allowed to kill Skarlet- it was even worse now that he had to look out for her.

The demon followed the tracker to the portal and back into Outworld as Quan Chi looked on. A black form then materialized itself in front of the sorcerer, as Noob Saibot appeared.

The wraith had just witnessed his only chance at gaining revenge leave with Scorpion, as Skarlet was an instrumental part of his plan. It was time for plan B.

"And what do I owe your presence, Noob Saibot ?" Quan Chi asked.

"I plan on finding Sub-Zero and taking revenge. Skarlet was unsuccessful in eliminating him. I vow to succeed if you but grant me this one request…"

From behind a corner near where Noob Saibot spoke with the sorcerer, Sareena peeked as she saw Skarlet and Scorpion vanish into the vortex. Now that Quan Chi was distracted, the sexy demon found her opportunity as she sneaked past them and shot into the portal as well, disappearing into Outworld. Sareena was going to follow Skarlet to whatever end, as she had unfinished business with her.

"And that is ?"

"I require the assistance of Smoke. His soul will be key in the killing of Sub-Zero. Smoke's familiarity of Kuai Liang's techniques and my knowledge of his powers will present an insurmountable challenge…Sub-Zero will fall quickly."

If it was for the benefit of the army of darkness, Quan Chi was definitely for it. Sub-Zero's death would only serve to cripple Lord Raiden's -already pathetic- forces. The sorcerer glanced at the row of Earthrealm's fallen.

The lost souls of Jax, Kabal, Sindel, Smoke, Jade, Kitana, Stryker, Nightwolf and Kung Lao all stood there like statues, awaiting command. Their blackened, charred bodies and red glowing eyes were nothing short of damnation, as the warriors couldn't even die properly.

Quan Chi held his fist up again and summoned Smoke. The damned soul of the Enenra then perked up, and joined Noob Saibot at his side.

"There...Smoke shall obey you commands...I trust that you will not disappoint me."

"Never…" the wraith replied, as he bowed and dematerialized along with Smoke.

Bi-Han and Tomas Vrbada-former Lin Kuei members, were now reunited, and working together once again.

The team of Noob-Smoke was out to hunt, _and kill_ Sub-Zero…

* * *

The Lin Kuei followed their orders, as some members cleaned up the mess Sektor made, while others organized and packed.

Sub-Zero walked around the temple, meeting and greeting clan members as he made his way towards his old living quarters. Kuai Liang was hit with a wave of nostalgia upon entering his old room. It was cold and sterile, just the way he liked it. A black mat was on the floor where he used to meditate, next to a black shelf which held extra masks, greaves, and other pieces of armour.

Sub-Zero then pulled out a black chest from under his bed and opened it. It contained Bi-Han's spare uniform, similar to the one he wore in the first Mortal Kombat tournament. Kuai Liang decided to wear it, in honour of his fallen brother. Sub-Zero began to undress, placing the dragon medallion on the shelf.

Kuai Liang then peeled off his damaged mask and ripped gear, which was a result of his battle with Sektor. There was no way the Grandmaster would lead a clan with his uniform all tattered and looking beaten. Sub-Zero imagined himself as Bi-Han, as he slapped on black pants with blue greaves, and was about to put on the blue tabard on his shirtless torso when-

"Need help, master… ?" Frost said out of nowhere, startling the Grandmaster. The young warrior stood by the entrance of the room with her arms crossed, as she leaned on the doorway. Sub-Zero was caught off guard, and wondered how long Frost had been standing there watching him. Eerie.

"Frost…forgive me, I was unaware of your approach."

The young warrior stepped into room and walked right up to Sub-Zero.

Frost blushed. "Uh, sorry master…I can assist you with your armour if you'd like…" the young woman said, as she ran her eyes over Kuai Liang's bare chest. Sub-Zero turned and quickly scooped up the dragon medallion and the rest of the uniform.

"I am grateful for your offer…but I will be fine. Excuse me for a moment, I shall rejoin you and the rest of the clan shortly."

"As you wish, master…" Frost said, as she quickly flicked her eyes up and down his body one last time before turning and heading out the room.

Sub-Zero watched as the young woman left. He finished donning his brother's outfit and placed the artefact back on his chest. Frost's stare reminded Kuai Liang of how Skarlet used to look at him. Sub-Zero did not know what to think of Frost's behaviour and how to deal with it yet . For the meantime, he chose to ignore the feelings he was developing for her, as he had a clan to relocate and rebuild.

* * *

Skarlet and Scorpion stepped out of the portal and into the wastelands of Outworld.

Skarlet scanned the environment, and was actually glad to be back. Although she had only spent a short time in the Netherrealm, she was already sick and tired of it. Crazy as it was, the Outworld seemed like a breath of fresh air.

"Stay silent, and **do not** get in my way, demon…" Skarlet warned, as she stormed off.

"**Do not dare give me orders!**_**" **_Scorpion spat, as he returned a warning of his own.

Skarlet chose to ignore the demon as she kept pacing forward. Scorpion followed.

"**Where are you taking us woman ?" **

"Do not follow me if it is against your will…you're free to leave." Skarlet said coldly, without even turning to look at him.

Scorpion wanted to crush the little girl's skull for her unintelligent remark. The demon wished he could he kill her, and just tell Quan Chi she fell down a ravine and died.

_Arrogant little wench, your lucky you have high value… _Scorpion thought. He decided to just put up with the girl for a little while longer, as Scorpion was certain that she would perish in the battle of Armageddon. _Besides, the slave girl is quite attractive… _Scorpion said to himself internally, as he checked out Skarlet's tight rear while she continued to walk away.

The Hemomancer was in tremendous shape, and her revealing uniform left very little to the imagination. Scorpion fantasized about 'having fun' with the sexy assassin first- before letting her rush off to die in war.

"**Believe me woman, I wish I could.." **Scorpion lied, as he continued to follow Skarlet through the wastelands of Outworld.

Back at the portal from which they had used, Sareena had walked through and entered Outworld.

"You cannot escape me that easily, little girl…" the sexy demon whispered, as she began to stalk the two warriors.

* * *

Out of desperation, Lord Raiden had revealed his secret to the other Earthrealm warriors; it was the corpse of Liu Kang, which the thunder god planned on taking to an underground temple, that belonged to an ancient sect of necromancers called the Houan.

The Houan, -who had the ability to raise the dead- were defeated by Lord Raiden himself centuries ago. Although they had scattered, the temple they used to conduct their dark rituals still existed.

The forces of Earthrealm were appalled by what they saw.

"What the hell are you doing ?!" Johnny Cage asked.

Sonya Blade "Raiden, what has gotten into you?"

"If we are to have any chance at stopping Shinnok, we will need Liu Kang to fight for us once more. I will revive him at the Houan temple." The thunder god replied.

Fujin stepped up and placed a hand on Lord Raiden's shoulder.

"With all due respect Lord Raiden, please…let the man rest." the god of wind gestured towards Liu Kang's body-which the thunder god held in his arms.

"Liu Kang was right…_you have _gone mad, Raiden…" Johnny Cage spat, the movie star finally unleashing his serious tone.

"Please, don't do th-" Sonya Blade was cut off.

"_ENOUGH, YOU ALL DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE DIRE SITUATION WE FACE !" _Lord Raiden's voice was loud like thunder itself. _"I WILL DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF EARTHREALM ! CAN YOU NOT REALIZE WHAT I AM TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH ?!"_

The Earthrrealm warriors all felt like they had shrunken down to being an inch tall. Every single one of them went silent, as no one dared to defy the thunder god any longer. Lord Raiden exhaled, and gathered his composure before raising one arm up-and disappearing with Liu Kang's body in flash of blue lightning.

* * *

Skarlet and Scorpion continued to walk through the vast Outworld as the Hemomancer was getting weaker by the moment. She desperately needed blood and there were no signs of disposable life anywhere. Skarlet stopped, sat on a large rock, and began to breathe deeply. The Hemomancer needed rest as she felt dizzy. Scorpion looked at her in confusion.

"**What's the matter? Keep moving!" **

Skarlet shot her eyes up at him with a dirty look. She could not believe how rude and dishonourable the bastard was.

"I am weak and _need _blood…unless you would allow me to spill yours and absorb it, we are not going anywhere until I say so."

Scorpion grit his teeth and clenched his fists in frustration. He held up an arm and looked as though he was preparing to strike her.** "Grrraaaaghhhhhh!" **the demon growled, as he swiped at nothing, wishing it was her skull.

Just then, dark figures dropped from the trees surrounding them, and began to reveal themselves one by one. Long sharp teeth gleamed in the dark mouths of the Tarkatan horde as twelve- thirteen of them began to surround and approach Skarlet and Scorpion.

The demon turned his head and glared at the slowly advancing horde.

"Oh perfect…" Skarlet said in an unimpressed, sarcastic tone. She could barely manage to keep her head up; there was no way she was ready for a bloody brawl with the mutant clan. _Blood. _Skarlet thought. If there was someway she could manage to slice a couple of the Tarkatans open, she would be able to drain them and gain strength from their blood.

But Skarlet would need Scorpion's help.

If the demon decided to stand by and watch, he would then have a front row seat to 'the slaughtering of Skarlet show.' Skarlet reached for her swords as the advancing horde all screeched, while they rushed in to attack.

* * *

**Skarlet's survival rests on Scorpion's shoulders…**

_**Meanwhile, Sub-Zero is in a situation of his own, as Frost begins to make her move…**_

* * *

Thanks for reading. Will try to have chapter 5 up soon. Reviews, comments, questions and suggestions are always welcomed/appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5 Helpless

**CHAPTER V**

* * *

Scorpion watched as the group of mindless beasts closed in around them. The demon could have just simply vanished in a flash of flames back to the Netherrealm, leaving Skarlet to fend for herself. There was no doubt in Scorpion's mind that she would die a bloody death.

Instead of disappearing completely, Scorpion teleported to the outside of the group,watching from a safe distance a few meters away. Skarlet saw the demon dematerialize in a burst of fire, only to reappear behind the Tarkatan group's vision.

The bald-headed beasts either did not care, or simply didn't notice as they charged towards the suddenly lonesome tracker.

"_BASTARD!_" Skarlet spat, as she took up a fighting stance, and focused her attention on the attackers. With their blades drawn, three Tarkatans burst towards her in a full-on sprint, before leaping in the air one-by-one.

Skarlet jumped back as Tarkatan number one came crashing down with his blade on the ground she previously stood on. The Hemomancer welcomed him with a boot to the face, her stiletto heel gouging-out his left eyeball. The beast howled in pain as he clutched his eye socket and fell backwards.

Tarkatan number two sailed through the air and tried to slash at the sexy assassin, but Skarlet met his blade with hers, blocking his attack and sending the creature back with a kick to the chest. The Hemomancer spun around and ducked, as number three tried to decapitate her with a wild blade swing. Skarlet responded with a powerful uppercut, sending the beast flying and crashing into two of his brothers.

Scorpion found Skarlet's situation amusing, as he continued to watch from the sidelines with his arms crossed. The demon was quite impressed with how the slave girl handled herself, as it only served to fuel his desire and twisted fantasies.

While Scorpion was definitely enjoying himself, part of him wanted to join in on the fun as he had been itching for battle.

Skarlet finally slashed a Tarkatan down, and was ready to absorb his blood- when suddenly, she was knocked off her feet by a hard backhand from an advancing enemy.

The group closed in on its target, as the Hemomancer curled up into a defensive postion, already knowing that she was about to die in a world of sharp-stabbing pain- except that the group all flew back, as if they were struck by some unseen force.

Scorpion joined the fight as he came crashing onto the scene with a fire-blazing teleport punch that smashed four Tarkatans away from Skarlet. The demon continued to pound away on the hapless beasts as the Hemomancer looked up to see her rescuer fighting off the gang.

The remaining Tarkatans then focused their attention on the dominant force, as one of them leapt unto Scorpion's back.

The demon swung and whipped around, trying to grab the attacker on his back. The bald beast tried to stab Scorpion through the back with his blades, but could not find the grip to do so as he struggled to hold on.

Weakened, Skarlet used every ounce of adrenaline she had left and dashed towards them, jumping into the air and kicking the Tarkatan off Scorpion with as much force as she could. The bald headed beast shot through the air and crashed into one of his brothers.

Just as the sleek assassin was about to turn around to face another attacker, she was sliced across the arm, and kicked in the sternum with crushing force. She recovered just in time to duck a decapitating blow, but the Tarkatan followed up with a devastating knee to her chin, knocking her unconscious.

The mindless beast was about to bring his blade down on the shapely warrior, when Scorpion saw what was about to happen. The demon then shot out his spear with much ferocity.

"**GET OVER HERE!" **Scorpion screamed, as his spear blasted from his palm and thrusted itself through the Tarkatans back, and out it's chest. The demon reeled in the already-dead creature and smashed the beast into the air with a powerful uppercut.

It was time to end this.

Scorpion then removed his mask, revealing his flaming skull, and proceeded to set the rest of the Tarkatan horde on fire. The intense flamethrower was endless, as the demon continued to blow the flames on anything and everything around him-including the corpses of the fallen beasts. All thirteen Tarkatans were burnt to a crisp; nothing but piles of ash remaining and scattered everywhere.

Scorpion scanned the carnage-and saw Skarlet laying unconscious on the floor. _Ah shit._

In the moment of battle, The demon forgot to realize that Skarlet had needed their blood to absorb and regain strength. Clearly that was not going to happen, as there was nothing left of the Tarkatans to drain.

The Hemomancer was going to die, and there was nothing Scorpion could do about it. _This is what you wanted fool, now is your chance, leave the slave girl to die! his_ evil inner voice scolded him. Scorpion turned around to look away from her- as he was about to teleport back to the Netherrealm- when he stopped, and looked back.

The young woman looked so helpless and pitiful, that the small percentage of humanity in Scorpion could not help but feel sorry for Skarlet. The demon sighed and walked over to her motionless body, before scooping her up in his arms.

From behind dark tress, Sareena had watched the entire scene unfold. The sexy demon saw Scorpion almost leave Skarlet behind but hesitated, opting to continue helping the young tracker. Sareena saw the only opportunity to have Skarlet all to herself slip away.

Sareena grit her teeth and clenched a fist in frustration._ Damn it, blast him! Why didn't the freak just leave her behind ?" _ she thought to herself.

Sareena then watched as Scorpion walked off holding the little girl in his arms. The demon looked like he didn't have a clue in which direction to take her in. Sareena knew that Skarlet needed blood and that Scorpion had to find some quick. The sexy demon continued to stalk the two, as she would not be denied getting her hands on the Hemomancer.

* * *

Lord Raiden had brought Liu Kang's body to the underground temple of the Houan.

Binding Kang's body with enchanted shackles the Houan had used to control their revived undead and mad with desperation, Raiden began to speak the enchantments etched into the temple's walls. The temple began to shake, as the dark magic crept its way unto the corpse. Raiden infused Liu Kang's body with a thunderclap of lightning, reviving his former ally.

Liu Kang was back, but not as the same champion he was known as. Instead, Kang was zombie-like in appearance, his flesh still burnt from the flames that caused his death in the first place. It was as if the Shaolin monk was possessed by some evil spirit. Lord Raiden stood in silence as Liu Kang faced him. If there was ever a moment where the thunder god experienced fear in its pure form, this was it.

Lord Raiden swallowed hard before speaking. "Liu Kang…can you hear me?"

A small tremble waved through the god of thunder's body. "…You have been revived…you will once again fight for the forces of Earthrealm…our friends need you during this desperate time…"

The corpse did not speak, remaining silent and still. Unsure if the reanimated Liu Kang could be controlled or not, Lord Raiden decided it would be too big of a risk to bring him back to Earthrealm. Outworld seemed like the more suitable place for the Shaolin monk to unleash his fury.

The god of thunder held one arm up to the sky and a palm out towards Liu Kang- before teleporting them to Outworld in a flash of blue lightning.

* * *

_Strong arms carried Skarlet, as she was still weak and groggy. It felt like she was in a dream, floating through the air like a feather, even though her body felt heavy and warm._

_This was all very familiar, as Skarlet somehow remembered that she had been in a similar situation before... She cracked her eyes open to look up at her saviour-and saw the person she cared about, and loved so much. Skarlet recognized the man behind the mask, his heavenly blue eyes staring back down at her. It was Sub-Zero, who had rescued her after she had been in a death match with Ermac. _

_Born as a cold-blooded killer, it was ironic that Skarlet could feel so warm and fuzzy in her heart. It was nothing short of pure bliss to be held by the warrior she craved and wanted._

_Even if Skarlet had succumbed to her injuries, she would have died happy in his arms. Skarlet reached her hand out to touch his face- _but awoke from her half sleep, as a glitch in her mind slapped her back to reality; the mind control once again kicking in full gear. Skarlet blinked hard and shook her head a little, opening her eyes to see Scorpion holding her.

_Put me down, you jerk! _Skarlet shouted mentally, as she struggled to break free from his arms. The Hemomancer tried to move, but her body was extremely heavy and felt like lead.

Skarlet was still weak, not having been able to absorb and drain the blood she needed. She tried to speak-but couldn't, as she had nothing left. Skarlet fought hard to get a few words out.

"…pit…bottom…of the pit…" she managed to say groggily.

Scorpion looked down at her and nodded once, acknowledging that he knew where to go. _Of course._ It was the pit bottom, where huge stone gargoyles spewed out waterfalls of blood.

Skarlet would be able to get every ounce of blood she needed-and then some, as it was a place that had unlimited supply of the precious crimson fluid. It was also an area that Scorpion himself, and many other warriors had sent their opponents falling down to their deaths, with huge spikes and pillars impaling the poor victims.

Skarlet wondered why Scorpion had the sudden change of heart. It wasn't that long ago that they wanted to rip each other's heads off.

"Why…why are you…helping me ?" Skarlet asked.

Scorpion looked down at the slave girl's face. She had beautiful grey eyes, and perfect features. He couldn't hide the truth anymore, and the real reason why he had been so grumpy towards the slave girl.

"**Because… you..remind me…of someone."**

"Of who ?" Skarlet asked, now suddenly interested with the demon had to say.

"**It doesn't matter…" **Scorpion replied, as he had a look on his face not seen by many.

"We have a long way to go before we reach the pit bottom…entertain me…"

Scorpion sighed.** "… Of someone I used to know…Someone I cared about…"**

Skarlet's tone was now soft. "Tell me…"

"**My wife…"**

* * *

Sub-Zero had successfully relocated the clan to the new Lin Kuei palace in the icy region of Arctika. The temple was enormous and well hidden, protected by mountains and blankets of ice.

Besides the huge structure and many chambers, the true centre piece of it all was a very ancient shrine of what appeared to be a stone statue of a woman holding a glowing flame.

Encrypted on it were the words: "Lady of Flame."

Kuai-Liang declared that it remain untouched and undisturbed, suggesting that doing so would bring bad energy to the clan. Sub-Zero also wondered why anyone, or any group would abandon such a marvellous structure.

The clan spread out and each had their own duties to tend to. Some worked on repairs to the building, while others helped unpack and organized. Sub-Zero was busy making preparations and going over details, as he would soon announce to the clan about his proposed tournament. Kuai Liang wanted to make sure that the Lin Kuei had a future and was taken care of, well after his time as Grandmaster had passed. Sub-Zero wanted to begin grooming the next successor.

He was in his chamber-the largest of all in the palace- when out of nowhere, he suddenly began to think about Skarlet.

While he couldn't explain it, Sub-Zero could sense that she was in some sort of danger or distress. As cold as Kuai Liang was, he felt his frozen heart it melt a little. Sub-Zero again missed Skarlet dearly, and all the precious moments they shared together while they lived in peace. Before all of this began…before her betrayal…

The Grandmaster let himself indulge mentally, as he closed his eyes and remembered what it was like to touch, to kiss, and love the woman he had devoted his life to. Skarlet's straight red hair, sweet scent, heavenly body, and seductive eyes, all haunted Sub-Zero.

Kuai Liang was tormented by his thoughts and was seeking to escape them when-

"Is there anything I can assist you with, master ?" Frost asked, once again startling the Grandmaster as she had snuck into his chamber.

Sub-Zero was slightly embarrassed as he returned to the present.

"Uh, forgive me young warrior…I seemed to have lost focus…thank you, I am fine…"

Frost looked slightly confused. "…Are…you sure…?"

Sub-Zero looked at Frost, wondering how she had managed to sneak up on him for a second time.

"Yes Frost, I will be addressing the clan shortly. Perhaps it is best you join them before I do so."

Frost nodded her head before putting her hand on his shoulder.

"If there is _anything _you need to talk about, you can always talk to me…" she offered, looking deep into Sub-Zero's blue eyes with her own, before turning, and exiting his chamber.

Kuai Liang looked on as the sultry young warrior walked off. While Frost did seem like a head-case, she was quite attractive in a unique way.

Always the consummate professional, Sub-Zero decided to not let his thoughts get ahead of him and made a silent promise not to encourage the young woman. Kuai Liang could ill-afford another distraction, as a war was coming.

* * *

Scorpion told Skarlet everything about his past life as Hanzo Hasashi. He explained that he had been a former member of the Shirai Ryu, a clan of Japanese ninjas who were bitter rivals with the Lin Kuei, and that they had been wiped out. Scorpion also spoke about how he was murdered by Bi-Han, prior to being reborn as a demon by Quan Chi. Scorpion served the sorcerer for bringing him back, so that he could take vengeance on those responsible for his clan's death.

Finally, Scorpion spoke to Skarlet in great detail about his family. His father before him was a member of the clan and forbade Scorpion from joining the Shirai Ryu, as he did not wish for his son to live the life of an assassin. However, Hanzo joined in spite of his father's wishes in order to provide his wife and son with a comfortable life.

His son Jubei, and wife Kara- whom bared a striking resemblance to Skarlet, but with black hair instead- also perished along with his clan.

"I'm sorry about your loss…" Skarlet said softly, finally understanding Scorpion.

The demon remained hard and chose not to respond, as they had arrived at the pit bottom. Hanzo stopped walking before turning to Skarlet.

"**Will you be able to stand ?"**

"Yes, I'll be fine."

Scorpion lowered one of his arms, letting Skarlet regain her footing. He used his other to support her back as she balanced herself. Skarlet was a little woozy, and still not completely recovered; she needed blood. Gallons of the red fluid cast out from the nearest gargoyle as the Hemomancer found her blood shower.

Skarlet looked up at Scorpion, and a silent moment passed between them as they stared at each other.

"I will need a moment…" Skarlet said, asking for privacy.

She was relieved when Scorpion understood by giving a single nod.

"**As you wish…" **The hell spawn said, before vanishing in a burst of flames.

Skarlet bit her lower lip, still thinking about everything Scorpion had told her. While she fought her changing-feelings towards him, she couldn't help but feel bad for everything that he went through. Skarlet did not know what it felt like to have a family, let alone lose one.

She began to remove her armour, starting with her sword sheaths as she walked towards the gargoyle. Piece-by-piece, the Hemomancer let her clothing slip to the ground, as if she were in her own private apartment, getting ready for a hot shower.

The pit bottom served as her own private sanctuary, a place where she spent most of her free time while she served under Shao Kahn. Skarlet was a few steps away from being splashed by the cascading blood and her source of nutrients - when out of nowhere, a green energy picked her up off the ground, denying her of the precious fluid.

The green telekinetic energy raised her up into the air, before slamming her body down on the ground, Skarlet felt like her entire body had cracked, and before she could comprehend what was happening, the movement repeated itself as she was slammed once again.

The green power held Skarlet pinned against the ground, with her extremities spread out in each direction. The tracker was weak and helpless, unable to defend herself. Although she already knew who was behind the attack, her eyes still went wide as she saw Ermac floating down towards her under the green energy of his telekinesis.

The telekinetic being found his opportunity to attack Skarlet, and get his revenge.

"**You cannot escape us, now we shall take what is rightfully ours !" **Ermac chanted, his voice echoing through out the pit.

He lowered himself onto her, Skarlet still struggling against the might of the energy that held her. She had nothing to give. Even if she could move, her weapons were still far out of reach. The Hemomancer could not even scream out for help, as if she were completely paralyzed head-to-toe.

Scorpion was gone, and no one would help. Ermac was free to do what ever he wanted, as Skarlet was completely vulnerable and exposed.

"**Your end will not come quick…you will be begging for death, once we start…" **Ermac promised, his face now only an inch away from hers. Skarlet trembled with fear, tears forming at the corner of her eyes, as she understood what was about to happen. The fear was deep and intense as it began to interrupt Quan Chi's programming. The mind control began to glitch, as Skarlet then hoped that when she died, she would get to see Sub-Zero.

* * *

**With no one to help, things definitely look bad for the damsel in distress. Ever the resilient one, it seems that Skarlet has finally met her doom.**

_**Back in Earthrealm, great things continue to unfold for the Lin Kuei Grandmaster, as Sub-Zero's tournament had begun.**_

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Number 6 will be up soon!


	6. Chapter 6 Ravaged

**CHAPTER VI**

Sareena continued to watched, peeking from behind a rock. Guilt haunted her as a helpless Skarlet was about to be raped and tortured. Although Sareena hated the little girl, she would never wish what Skarlet was about to go through on anyone.

While part of her wanted to pound and beat the young woman, the other half couldn't stand to watch. The sultry demon was clueless about what to do. Should she look away? Should she intervene and help Skarlet? Or should she watch the little tramp get what she deserves?

Sareena was frustrated and torn, her heart beginning to pound at a rapid rate. Her hands began to shake, as she had never witnessed anything like this before. It was a horrible situation for anyone to be in, and Sareena suddenly found herself regretting the decision to sneak through the portal.

Ermac began his assault, placing his lips and mouth all over Skarlet's body. He was aggressive with how he handled her, grabbing her body tight in many areas. Skarlet winced from the pain as Ermac ran his hands over her curves and squeezed.

Tears dripped from Skarlet's face as she was trapped in her own personal hell. All the training and lethal skill she possessed were nothing but useless tools against her attacker. Skarlet wished Ermac killed her first.

The telekinetic warrior then ran his hands down to her crouch, and inserted his fingers into her body. Skarlet grimaced and squeezed her eyes tight as her body began to tremble, quivering with pain and fear.

The experience was worse than death itself, as she couldn't even turn away when Ermac began to kiss her face. Things got worse when he began to get really aggressive.

Ermac then postured up and began to pummel Skarlet with his fists. After a dozen shots to her face, he halted his barrage, lowering himself down between her legs and began to induldge in her flesh.

Skarlet could not even scream. A million different emotions raged inside her, as there was nothing she could do to express them.

Sareena had had enough. The whole scene was absolutely despicable and disgusting, and there was no way she was going to stand by and do nothing. She stood up from her hiding position and bolted towards the scene.

Ermac decided it was time for the finale. He placed a single hand on her throat and began to choke her, as prepared to enter her body. He was going to make her pay dearly for killing him; ravaging and torturing Skarlet to death.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Lin Kuei tournament was well underway, as it had already reached the semi-final brackets. Upon making the announcement, Sub-Zero was overwhelmed by how many followers entered, as the clan members jumped at the chance to be trained by the Grandmaster himself.

To avoid betrayal, Sub-Zero didn't include that the winner would also be groomed and next in line to take over, once his time as Grandmaster had ended. Kuai Liang would monitor the growth and maturity of his would-be protégé, before informing them of his true intentions.

Frost was the most eager of the group, as she was aggressive in making sure she was signed up. She budged, pushed, and shoved her way through clan mates and lines, as the young warrior would _not _be denied participation.

In the first round, Frost dispatched her opponent quickly, as her freezing abilities gave her a monster advantage. Sub-Zero halted Frost from killing her opponent, as there were to be no fatalities. Fighters can only advance via knockout, submission, or surrender.

The semi-final was no different, as the warrior Frost faced, underestimated the young female's ability. From the opening bell, the unknown clan member charged with a flying kick- only to have Frost side-step it, and freeze the guy in his tracks. She smashed him out of the ice with such force, that he was knocked unconscious before hitting the floor.

" WINNER!" The tournament referee declared, as he held one of Frost's arms up.

Although utterly impressed and entertained by the display of skills his followers had, Sub-Zero anxiously analyzed each fight to also gauge the fighters weaknesses. He saw much arrogance in Frost, with the way she handled herself during post fight antics. She mocked, taunted, and teased the other competitors- as it was probably a strategy to play mind games.

After what he saw, Kuai Liang knew that Frost would be declared the winner of the tournament in no time, as the look in her eyes were that of hunger and determination.

Sub-Zero sensed that there was no stopping her. The way she would glance at him after each fight made the Grandmaster slightly uncomfortable. He could almost imagine Frost say _I'm coming after you… _

What Kuai Liang failed to realize was that Frost was actually staring at the big shiny medallion on his chest.

* * *

Noob-Smoke had arrived in Earthrealm assuming that Sub-Zero had not yet aligned himself with the forces of light They traveled to the house that Bi-Han once shared with Kuai Liang, and found an empty, dark, and abandoned home.

The duo needed to tread carefully, as to not make their presence detected by Lord Raiden. The last thing they needed was to be confronted- and possibly stopped, by the forces of Earthrealm.

The only other place Kuai Liang could be was the Lin Kuei temple in China. It was time for a clan reunion, as Noob Saibot and Smoke decided to come home. Bi-Han could not wait to see Sub-Zero's shocked expression.

* * *

Ermac was about to fulfill his fantasy, as he prepared to penetrate his former pupil.

"**Now suffer…" **Ermac whispered, as he began to make his move.

A strong arm grabbed the back of his uniform, and Ermac was violently tossed to the side.

"**Pathetic imbecile!" **Scorpion growled, as he charged Ermac.

The demon grabbed the telekinetic warrior, and began to smash away at him with flaming fists. Upon seeing Scorpion's arrival, Sareena stopped in her tracks and quickly hid once again. She watched as the demon pounded away on Ermac's face.

Skarlet was released from the telekinetic grip, and was able to move again as she rolled onto her side. She was barely alive, and had no strength to crawl to the blood fountain. She was breathing heavy, and any movement that she made caused her great pain.

Ermac blasted Scorpion back with a green force ball, but the demon recovered quickly and began to charge again- but stopped, as Ermac held his hand up signalling Scorpion to halt his advance.

"**Wait…look at yourself, do you not see how weak you have become? How weak she has made you…?" **Ermac said, gesturing towards Skarlet.

Scorpion paused, and glanced at the fallen Hemomancer.

"**What will you do? Kill us and rescue this girl? ****She will betray you, just as she betrayed us…"**

The demon knew that the telekinetic warrior was trying to manipulate him for his own advantage. But on the other hand, Ermac had a point. Scorpion cursed himself for having a moment of weakness and opening up to the slave girl about his past. The demon stared at the young woman who had an uncanny resemblance to his late wife.

Hanzo Hasashi longed to be with his beloved again, as the precious life they had together was cut short. Scorpion would give anything to hold her in his arms once more.

Hanzo was in a trance, as the woman he saw laying on the ground was no longer Skarlet…but appeared to be Kara.

Nothing was going to stop Scorpion from reuniting with his wife. All he had to do was reach down to pick her up, and be with his love once again.

Ermac smiled as he could see that Scorpion was starting to buy-in to his scheme. The telekinetic warrior then watched as the hell spawn walked over to the motionless Skarlet, and pick her up by the back of her neck.

Scorpion lifted the shapely assassin into the air and ran his eyes over her slender body. Skarlet saw the look in the demon's eyes go from being sympathetic- to having a lustful, burning desire.

_Oh no._

Things went from bad to worse, as the Hemomancer feared that her body would no longer be slaughtered by one- but by two fierce and powerful warriors.

Skarlet closed her eyes as she had already accepted her fate.

Out of nowhere, there was a battle cry in a feminine tone, followed by a figure with dark hair and clothing, who rushed into the scene.

Sareena jumped kicked Scorpion, knocking him back and releasing Skarlet from his grip. The sexy demon then turned her attention to Ermac, who was just as surprised by her arrival as everyone else.

Sareena charged Ermac and opened up a combo that put the telekinetic warrior on the defensive. Ermac tried to counter her blows, but Sareena was exceptional in hand-to-hand combat. She smashed, kicked, and out struck the ninja, sending him to the ground.

Sareena was wary not to let her demon form explode out of her, as she would not be able to control it. Sareena then pulled out her large combat knife; the serrated edges on the blade were meant for heavy damage. She charged Scorpion, who countered by using a hellfire punch. The demon teleported behind Sareena, and devastated her with a flaming right cross.

Sareena flew through the air and was caught, before being slammed hard to the ground by Ermac's telekinetic powers. The sultry demon writhed in pain, only a few feet away from where Skarlet struggled to crawl to the nearest blood source.

* * *

Noob-Smoke arrived at the Lin Kuei temple in China expecting to find a severely crippled clan, and a very scared Sub-Zero. What they had found though, was nothing but an abandoned building.

The team scanned the rubble of the damaged temple in confusion, as the deadly duo had no idea of Sub-Zero's ascension to Grandmaster status and relocation of the Lin Kuei.

"It appears that the clan has either been disbanded or destroyed…" the damned soul of Smoke said.

"Impossible! Where else could Kuai Liang be?" Noob Saibot replied.

"Perhaps he has rejoined Lord Raiden and the others…"

"Possibly…although there _is _one other person who may know of his exact whereabouts."

"_Who?" _Smoke asked.

"The young assassin…the last time I saw her, she had requested a portal and travelled to Outworld."

"Then let us go..."

* * *

Lord Raiden and the corpse of Liu Kang appeared in a flash of blue lightning in Outworld. The thunder god's plan was to drop the monk off in enemy territory to wreak havoc on those he believed to be a danger to Earthrealm.

"Liu Kang…your mission is to bring justice to those who endanger the safety of Earthrealm…do you as you must."

The very presence of Lord Raiden and Liu Kang was felt all the way to the Netherrealm, where the fallen Elder God Shinnok had sensed their energy signals.

"It seems that Lord Raiden has made an appearance in Outworld. The thunder god plans to leave one of his own behind…we will greet them with an ambassador of our own." Lord Shinnok stated to his followers, before turning to nod at Onaga.

"Return to Outworld and find a host to be your vessel… It is time to make your presence felt.."

The Dragon King nodded and growled, before dematerializing and shooting upwards in a beam of light.

Back in Outworld, an unsuspecting Reptile - who had survived the fall of Shao Kahn- was suddenly blasted with the light beam contorting his body, as it bean to transform. Reptile's body had now become the vessel for the reincarnated Onaga.

* * *

Frost had made it to the Grand Final of the Lin Kuei tournament. Her opponent was an exceptionally large clan member named Brutus, who was a hulking menace of a man with speed too fast for someone his size, and had a great deal of skill.

Brutus was feared among his clan mates, mainly due to his strength and fierce attitude. He was one of the best of the Lin Kuei assassins, and his feat were legendary.

Clan mates began betting amongst themselves as they were all putting their money on big Brutus. The suddenly insignificant Frost had her work cut out, as this was the first time Grandmaster Sub-Zero actually feared for her safety.

"BEGIN!" the ref yelled, as the battle for the tournament was on.

Displaying no fear, Frost charged in on Brutus and began attacking him with a flurry of kicks and chops. Her strikes did nothing as it seemed like the young warrior was hitting a steel wall. Brutus stood in place with his arms crossed, as Frost came in from different angles, hoping to nail a weak spot or pressure point. She then formed a blade made of ice and smashed it across the monster's shoulder. The ice sword shattered into pieces as her opponent brushed dust off his shoulder.

Brutus swatted the young female warrior away with a backhand, as if she were an annoying fly. Frost recovered and charged at him in a full on sprint, before sliding on a trail of ice to go underneath and in between Brutus' legs. The monster looked on in confusion, as she then smashed him in the genitals with all her might.

The attack finally did damage as Brutus folded over, and was then struck on the chin by Frost's upper cut. She followed up her attack by summoning every bit of her energy, and channelling it into an ice blast.

Frost froze the big brute in his tracks, before running back to the other side of the tournament floor to gain momentum. The young warrior then bolted towards the giant ice statue and jump kicked Brutus in the face. The ice smashed into chunks as the large hulk was sent flying out of the shattered statue and off the tournament stage, crashing onto the ground unconscious.

Frost stood alone on the battle ground. The crowd was silent and stunned, as the Lin Kuei could not register what they had just witnessed. Sub-Zero was the first to move, as he stood up from his throne and acknowledged that the tournament was indeed over.

The referee ran up onto the stage and lifted one of Frost's arms into the air.

"Declaring the winner by knock-out, and champion of the Lin Kuei tournament…FROST!" the ref announced, presenting her to the clan leader and the rest of the Lin Kuei. The audience began to clap and cheer, as Frost caught Sub-Zero's gaze and winked at him. She was now the Grandmaster's protégé.

* * *

Scorpion and Ermac continued to pound away on Sareena and Skarlet, as they both each had a rag doll to play with. The women were beaten and bloody, standing no chance against the two powerful warriors. The two were free to do whatever they wanted with the young females; their flesh seemingly irresistible and tender.

Skarlet began to fade into unconsciousness, her eyes beginning to see nothing but a darkening shadow. Sareena shot a glance at the young girl, silently cursing herself for associating with the assassin in the first place. _You got yourself into this mess, now get yourself out... or you're both doomed._

The two girls were so helpless and exposed, it began to excite the blood and desire of both men. The duo moved in for the kill- when out of nowhere, Smoke came crashing his elbow into Ermac's lower back - before disappearing in vapour and reappearing to smash him from the front. Ermac flew back as he was caught off guard by Smoke's quick attack.

"**What is this****?!" **Scorpion yelled, confused by what just happened.

Noob Saibot also jumped in to the picture, quickly shooting a portal into the air that landed on to Scorpion, making the demon drop in and out of another dimension. Scorpion dropped down in front of his opponent and was welcomed by Noob's right cross. Scorpion stumbled back and was about to retaliate, but Noob Saibot's shadow clone burst out of the wraith's body and tackled him to the ground.

Ermac couldn't seem to nail Smoke with his energy blasts or telekinesis, as the Enenra was too quick for the telekinetic warrior to keep up. Smoke dashed in with a fist to Ermac's abdomen, before blitzing in from behind and wrapping his arms around the telekinetic warrior's waist. Tomas "Smoke" Vrbada then suplexed him backwards, crushing Ermac's skull and neck against the ground.

The telekinetic ninja writhed in pain as the Noob-Smoke team regrouped. Sareena managed to lift and shove Skarlet underneath the Gargoyle; the blood cascading down all over her. The Hemomancer began to immediately heal, and felt a surge of power as she was completely doused in her element.

Skarlet had never felt more refreshed and stronger in her life, as the quantity of blood was endless. She stood up in the crimson shower as her energy returned. A fresh set of clothing, armour, and weapons materialized out of blood and covered her body.

Ermac slowly got up and joined Scorpion's side, as they now faced the team of Noob-Smoke, Sareena, and Skarelt- who stepped out of the blood fountain, looking pissed and as deadly as ever.

Realizing that they were outnumbered and overmatched, Scorpion and Ermac exchanged a look before vanishing in a burst of flames and a flash of green energy. The cowards knew that they did not stand a chance against the four warriors and retreated to the Netherrealm.

Sareena got up slowly from the ground and faced the rescuers. She looked at the wraith and was surprised.

"Bi-Han!" she said excitedly, glad to see her former friend.

Sareena ran up to greet Noob, who did not appear to be as enthusiastic as she was about their reunion. Although he wasn't who he used to be, Sareena knew deep down that Bi-Han was still somewhere inside Noob Saibot.

The wraith stared at her with an emotionless expression and said nothing. Sareena's smile faded as she realized that he might not have recognized her.

"Don't you remember who I am…? The sexy demon asked.

Sareena referred to the past when she had first met Bi-Han as the original Sub-Zero. Sareena had been ordered by Quan Chi to kill him before he attacked the sorcerer. She failed her mission and was defeated, but Bi-Han strangely spared her life. The female demon in turn decided to help Sub-Zero defeat Quan Chi and escape the Netherrealm.

"I remember everything…and that you meant nothing to me…"

Sareena's heart broke. "I don't believe that…"

"Believe what you wish…I came here for her…" Noob Saibot said, as he gestured towards Skarlet.

The sleek assassin looked at the wraith as he approached her.

"You…" Noob said, as he pointed at Skarlet. "You will help me locate Kuai Liang. Only you would know of where I might find him..."

The Hemomancer was about to ask why she would ever consider helping him, before realizing that she and Sareena would both be dead by now if it weren't for Noob and Smoke. Skarlet agreed as she was still completely under Quan Chi's mind control.

"Very well. I will help you locate Sub-Zero in turn for assisting me…"

Sareena interjected.

"NO! Don't do this, he _is _your younger brother! You cannot kill him!" the sexy demon pleaded with Noob Saibot, as she grabbed and shook him.

The wraith coldly brushed Sareena off to the side. "Watch us…"

Noob Saibot then opened up a dark portal, before leading Skarlet and Smoke through. Sareena charged forward and tried to follow them- but ran into nothing, as the vortex vanished before she could enter it. Sareena then watched as the last remnants of portal disappeared in puff of black smoke.

The wasn't a curse word strong enough to express how frustrated the sultry demon felt. It seemed to her that everything had revolved around Skarlet, and that nobody wanted anything to do with her. Sareena could no longer return to the Netherrealm, as Scorpion and Ermac would surely be waiting for her.

Heartbroken, Sareena was left with nowhere to go and felt very alone.

* * *

**With Skarlet now joining Noob-Smoke in the hunt for Sub-Zero, dark days are ahead for the Lin Kuei Grandmaster.**

**Trouble appears to be brewing in Outworld as Onaga is resurrected, and Liu Kang has been unleashed.**

_**With her eyes on the prize, Frost has won the Lin Kuei tournament and is now Sub-Zero's protégé. The young warrior is one step closer to achieving her ultimate goal…**_

* * *

**Notes.**

- I hope the Ermac/Skarlet scene wasn't too disturbing. Sorry for that.

- I apologize for not putting much into the Lin Kuei tournament. I felt like I needed to focus more on other parts of the story, and plan on saving most of my fight scenes for the big Armageddon battle.

- Brutus is just a minor OC and not part of the Mortal Kombat universe.

- Raiden will summon Sub-Zero and Frost, who will encounter Sareena in Outworld.

- I will weave Taven in on the next chapter.

- Onaga is going to light up Outworld.

- I should have chapter 7 up in about a week or two. I'm excited about wiritng it as that chapter will definitely get the ball rolling.

- Thanks for reading.


	7. Chapter 7 Rage and Serenity

**CHAPTER VII**

* * *

Frost's apprenticeship with Sub-Zero began as soon as the tournament ended. Kuai Liang fought hard against his nerves as the young warrior eagerly took his side.

"Congratulations Frost. That was quite an impressive victory. There are not many fighters that are capable of taking down Brutus."

"Thank you master. I actually expected more of a challenge from him…" a smug Frost replied.

Sub-Zero raised his eyebrows at his protégé's remark. It seems that humility would need to be first item on the agenda of Frost's training.

"Interesting…Well, I am glad you that enjoyed the tournament, because the real test begins now."

Frost smiled. "Bring it on."

The two began by walking through the halls of the giant palace, talking and getting a chance to know each other better before the actual training began.

Sub-Zero spoke much about his upbringing in the Lin Kuei alongside his brother Bi-Han, the Mortal Kombat tournament, and the eventual fall of Shao Kahn. Kuai Liang decided to keep his relationship with Skarlet private, as he considered it something that Frost did not need to know.

The Grandmaster wanted to ensure that his pupil had a focused mind, clear of any useless thoughts. Sub-Zero would also train Frost to completely understand her powers, as it would serve her well in combat when controlled and used appropriately. He compared Frost to a child wielding a very dangerous weapon.

"You fight well using your gifts…however, I can see that you still have yet to control them."

Frost was slightly offended. "Excuse me, master?"

"It takes years of practice to perfect cryokinetic abilities…I know from experience." The Grandmaster replied.

"With all due respect master, I think I've got it pretty well under control…."

Sub-Zero looked at Frost and said nothing, as he was still processing what his pupil just told him. Kuai Liang was confident that his student still had much to learn.

"Stay where you are." Sub-Zero said, as he walked twenty paces in front, before turning to face her.

"You are able to freeze opponents at a near distance, however it is also at a low concentration…the enemy will be able to break free of your hold. The more energy, and concentration you put into an ice attack, the more lethal it becomes. But, first you must learn to control it."

Frost had a confused look, as her master continued to speak. Kuai Liang wanted to teach his apprentice how difficult it actually is to containl a more concentrated blast, and be accurate with it.

"…I want you to put more power, and concentration in to a freeze blast. Try to control it, and then shoot me with it."

Frost was absolutely sure that her master had lost his mind. "Master…?"

"That is an order." The Grandmaster stated.

"Master, you have gone mad!"

"Frost, I will not repeat my command."

"_You're going to be killed!"_

"I am going to count to three. If you do not obey, I will freeze you myself!"

Frost was beginning to tremble with fear. The look in Kuai Liang's eyes made the young warrior believe that he was serious. Her hands shook as she watched Sub-Zero began to charge up an ice blast.

"MASTER_, PLEASE!" _Frost screamed, tears freezing at the corner of her sharp eyes.

"ONE!" the Grandmaster shouted.

"WHEN YOU ARE FROZEN, _I AM GOING TO TAKE THAT MEDALLION FROM YOU_!"

Sub-Zero was confident that Frost wouldn't be able to hit her mark. He ignored her comment, as the blue orb of ice energy in between his palms grew brighter and bigger.

"…TWO!"

Frost screamed in fury, as she channelled as much energy as she could into an ice beam. The charge was wild and powerful, and much more difficult to control than she thought. The energy flashed like a strobe light in between her palms as she struggled to hold it steady. She unleashed the ice blast towards her master, closing her eyes and doing her best to keep her body stable.

Frost did her best to tame the furious attack, focusing hard to send the beam straight and center.

Sub-Zero stood his ground as the wild ice blast struck the floor, and walls all around him - the attack completely missing it's target. The beam froze all it had come into contact with, except for the thing it had been intended for.

The ice wave halted, as Frost had used up all her energy. She dropped her arms from fatigue, breathing heavy as her shoulders slumped forward. The young warrior opened her eyes to see her master standing there, staring back unharmed. After a moment of silence, the tension began to fizzle out as the Grandmaster spoke.

"You are not in full control of your powers yet, my young apprentice…you still have much to learn."

Frost exhaled deeply while nodding her head and looking down. She had never been more ashamed of herself, as that was the first time she failed in anything that anyone has ever asked of her.

Frost did her best to quickly wipe away the frozen tears in complete embarrassment, as she was frustrated and angry. The young warrior cursed herself.

Sub-Zero saw the look of pain and disappointment in his pupil's face, and immediately felt bad for acting harshly. Maybe his methods were a bit extreme, but he never intended on actually freezing his student to death.

Sub-Zero walked over and placed his hand on Frost's shoulder.

"My apologies Frost. I did what was necessary to get my point across. You _will _learn how to control your abilities at it's highest level, but it is going to take time and practice. I am confident it will take you half the time it took me."

Frost nodded in agreement, still looking down.

"Master, can I ask you a question?" she said, bringing her eyes up to look at him.

"Yes Frost."

"What if I did hit you...What if I managed to freeze you?"

"Then you would have proven me wrong…"

* * *

Lord Raiden watched as the corpse of Liu Kang took off on his furious rampage. The God of Thunder was about to return to Earthrealm when he sensed a terrible power was approaching his way. Raiden looked far into the distance, as large dark figure flew in from behind the clouds, followed by a mighty roar.

"**RRRRRRRAAAAAARRRRRRRGGHHHHHH !" **The mighty beast roared as it sailed into view.

Lord Raiden could not believe his eyes. "Dragon King…" he whispered.

Onaga landed hard, crushing the ground a meters away from where the Thunder God stood. The beast faced Lord Raiden who had a shocked expression on his face.

The Dragon King was an extremely large creature, much larger than Shao Kahn was and had a reptilian appearance. It had two large powerful wings behind it's back, a muscular body with scaly skin, and two large horns protruding from it's head. His glowing reddish-gold eyes were fierce and terrifying.

"**LORD RAIDEN…AS OUTWORLD'S ULTIMATE RULER, I DELCARE YOU UNWELCOME HERE…" **The Dragon King growled.

"Outworld no longer belongs to you, Onaga!" Raiden shot back.

"**I HAVE RETURNED TO RECLAIM IT…"**

"But Shujinko banished you… How is it possible that you could return?"

" **I WAS BOUNED TO A RUNE IN THE NETHERREALM. I LANGUISHED THERE UNTIL I WAS FOUND BY SHINNOK… LIKE ME HE WAS TRAPPED IN THAT ACCURSED PLACE, DENIED DOMINATION OF THE REALMS BY LESSER BEINGS SUCH AS YOURSELF! SHINNOK OFFERED ME A CHANCE AT REVENGE: I WOULD REGAIN MY RIGHTFUL PLACE AS RULER OF THIS REALM IN RETURN FOR MY UNQUESTIONED SERVITUDE. I BOW TO NO ONE, BUT CONSIDERED HIS OFFER..."**

Lord Raiden shook his head. "Nothing but a pawn for Shinnok…I would never have expected that from the Dragon King…Not even Shao Kahn would have reduced himself to being a servant of his..."

"**FOOL! SHAO KAHN IS **_**NOTHING BUT HALF**_** A SLAVE FOR SHINNOK! I ONCE AGAIN RULE OUTWORLD! THERE IS NOTHING THAT STANDS IN MY WAY!"**

"WRONG!" The Thunder God shouted as a huge burst of lightning erupted from his palms, and surged towards the giant beast.

The lightning clapped against Onaga's solid chest and fought to harm the Dragon King. Lord Raiden continued to put as much force behind the attack - the blue electricity raging as it clashed against Onaga's thick hide.

The ground shook as the Dragon King began to march towards the God of Thunder, with the lightning wave causing no damage. Lord Raiden cut off his attack before hopping back a step, and lunged forward with a crushing right hand. The Thunder God's fist smacked against Onaga's face but was ineffective, as it failed to even move the beast's head even an inch.

The Dragon King grabbed Raiden's wrist and swung his entire body over his head like a rag doll, and slammed the Thunder God onto the ground. Onaga lifted up a heavy foot and was about to crush Lord Raiden's chest - but the God of Thunder teleported away in flash of blue light.

Raiden reappeared behind the Dragon King, jumped into the air, and brought down the hardest karate chop he could muster, on the back of Onaga's head.

_**CRACK!**_

The sound of the impact could be heard throughout Outworld.

The Dragon King responded by using one of his large wings to swat the Thunder God away.

Lord Raiden recovered and dove into attack the beast with a combo. The Thunder God's strikes were fast and strong, but did nothing but bounce of Onaga's body. The Dragon King responded by grabbing Raiden's shoulders, before crushing him with a devastating head butt, sending him flying backwards.

Lord Raiden rotated in mid-air, and sent another burst of powerful lightning towards the giant creature. Onaga countered with a flame breath, spewing a stream of fire from his mouth that easily overpowered the Thunder God's atttack. The fire blast engulfed Lord Raiden - presumably immolating him - but the resilient God of Thunder burst out of the flames in an explosion of energy, and crashed on the ground sliding backwards.

With his armour severely burned, Lord Raiden stood up, brushing off the small fires on his clothing. _The Dragon King is much more powerful than I anticipated…My power is decreasing with every blow… _The Thunder God thought, as he was facing a grim reality.

Summoning all of his strength and might, Lord Raiden shot straight up in the air, and charged up the most powerful ball of electricity in between his palms. Thunder rocked the clouds as Onaga titled his head to look up at the Lightning God, before spreading his wings and blasting upwards to meet him.

Lord Raiden watched as the mighty creature blitzed towards him and contemplated his next move. Onaga charged the Thunder God and was about to crash into him - when Raiden disappeared in flash of blue light. Onaga glanced around as he floated in mid-air - when out of nowhere the Thunder God rematerialized below him, and unleashed the most powerful-realm-shaking-lightning blast ever known in existence, at him.

"HHHHYYYYYAAAAAAAAAA!" Lord Raiden screamed in fury, as he put all of his essence and energy into the attack. If this did not stop the Dragon King, nothing would.

The blast of light swallowed Onaga, followed a by a large explosion which saw the creature burst from it, hurtling towards space.

The Dragon King regained his composure, shot his wings out to stop him from flipping backwards, and halted his ascent. Smoke emanated from his charred body, but Raiden's attack did no further damage.

The God of Thunder looked on in disbelief, breathing heavy as he was spent. He exhaled deeply, as Onaga came charging towards him. Lord Raiden had nothing left to give, as he did not even have the energy to dodge the creature's attack. Onaga swiped at the Thunder God, using his large claw to smash Raiden across the face, sending him spiralling towards the ground. The God of Thunder crashed, causing a small crater where he landed.

The Dragon King followed, dropping down to meet his foe. It was time to finish what Shao Kahn could not.

With his last ounce of strength left, Lord Raiden responded by charging Onaga with a torpedo, flying through the air and hoping to tackle the beast - but the Dragon King caught him in mid-flight, wrapped his powerful arms around the Thunder God, and flew straight up into the air.

High above the surface, Onaga flipped Lord Raiden's body upside down, and blasted downwards with such force, power bombing the Thunder God headfirst into the ground.

* * *

Master and apprentice were inseparable, as Sub-Zero taught Frost everything he knew. They trained, sparred, ate, and meditated together, even spending long nights staying up just to talk. Frost was at Sub-Zero's side wherever he went. When the Grandmaster would address the Lin Kuei, she would be right there with him as he spoke.

A mutual attraction was inevitable, as the emotional scars that Skarlet had left on Sub-Zero, were being healed by Frost's companionship. Kuai Liang in turn was everything Frost wanted in a partner, as he had confidence, wisdom, and power. Aside from that, she found him physically attractive, with his sharp blue eyes being the icing on the cake. But above all else, the big shiny medallion he wore on his chest was what she really wanted.

Sub-Zero did his best to keep their relationship strictly business, as his intention for taking Frost under his wing was for the benefit of the clan, and not his own. Kuai Liang's mind fought hard to view Frost as a younger sister, with Sub-Zero's heart trying to convince him otherwise. It didn't help that the young warrior would also flirt vigorously, often joking, hitting, laughing, and being all touchy with him.

The growing intimacy between them made the Grandmaster feel uncomfortable, as Sub-Zero feared that their bond would catch the attention of the other clan members.

Sub-Zero and Frost were sparring in one of the Lin Kuei palace chambers.

Frost was an extremely quick learner, as she honed her skills and had mastered a few techniques. The young warrior was outpacing her teacher, gaining an advantage on their hand-to-hand exchange. Although not on Sub-Zero's power and strength level, Frost was superior in speed, often beating him to the punch, and executing faster footwork.

The young woman reminded Kuai Liang of Skarlet, as they were both similar in size and shape. Their fighting speeds were also very similar, and the Cryomancer wondered who would in a fight between the two of them. Sub-Zero shook off his thoughts, as he refocused on the training.

The distracted Grandmaster threw a left jab-right hook combo, only to have his student duck his attack, and tackle him to the floor with a takedown. Frost mounted her master raising a fist up, and was ready to strike him - but halted, as Sub-Zero held his palms up.

"Excellent…Good work, Frost…That is enough…for today…" he said, breathing heavy as he was catching his breath.

Frost remained on top of him, also breathing hard and refusing to get off. Sub-Zero tapped her on the thigh and tried to sit up, but she pushed him back down with one hand.

"I win this time master…" she said, as her heaving chest suddenly caught the attention of the man pinned beneath her.

"Indeed. You have learned well."

Kuai Liang fought mentally to keep himself in-check. He stared up into her eyes as he saw that Frost wanted more. While her stare had remained on his blue eyes, it began to drift down slowly to the gleaming artefact Sub-Zero wore on his uniform.

Even though Frost had a unique look to her, the Grandmaster could not help but find her attractive in a way. She had tremendous shape for sure, and while her sometimes cocky attitude could use an adjustment, Sub-Zero didn't mind being around her as much as he originally thought he would. He broke the awkward moment by grabbing her hips and rotating, placing his student on her back. Sub-Zero was now on top, but ended their little episode by standing up and offering his hand.

Frost took it, a look of disappointment flashed across her face as she stood up to meet him.

"Done for the day…" Sub-Zero said, as he smiled and patted her on the back, before retiring to his chamber.

Frost waited until he was quite a distance away - about forty yards - before getting his attention.

"_WAIT!_" she yelled out.

Sub-Zero turned around to face his student.

"Stay where you are, and don't move!"

Kuai Liang had a confused look on his face as he wondered what Frost was up to.

"You see that pillar you are standing next to?"

Sub-Zero turned his head to the left, and glanced at the palace column that supported the palace structure. There was nothing unusual about it. "Yes?" he replied.

"…Keep your eyes on it!" she continued.

"What is the meaning of this?" the Grandmaster asked.

Without saying a word, Frost began to gather as much power as she could, and forced it into a ball of cryokinetic energy. When it was ready, she unleashed the beam of ice that charged towards her master.

Sub-Zero watched with wide eyes the ice beam blew past him to his left and struck the pillar - freezing it - with a hundred percent accuracy. The ice shot up the entire length of the column, turning it into a frozen pole. The Grandmaster turned his head slowly to look at his pupil in amazement. Frost had learned well. A small smile formed behind his mask as he was proud of how far his student had come.

"Impressive…well done, my apprentice." Sub-Zero stated, before bowing his head slightly.

Frost placed her hands on her hip and winked at him. "It was nothing…" she said with a smile.

The Grandmaster returned the favour, and took one last look at the frozen pillar before returning on his path.

Frost watched her master walk away in self satisfaction. _One step closer… _she thought to herself, before retiring to her own living quarters.

* * *

Sareena trudged through Outworld, desperate, frustrated, and broken. She had never been more humiliated in her life, as the demoness rescued a girl she hated, paid for it dearly by nearly getting ravaged herself, only to be rescued and abandoned by Bi-Han. And of all of this was because of that little wench.

_Skarlet._ Sareena thought, she had suffered so much because of that girl, and none of this would have ever happened if that bitch did not exist. The demoness now had twice the hate for the red-headed assassin, and even regretted for ever coming into contact with her.

"You'll get what's coming to you, little girl…" Sareena spoke to herself.

She was going to make Skarlet pay, and although Sareena wouldn't take back what she did by saving her from Ermac, she wanted to pound the witch in a fair fight. Nothing was going to stop her from getting her hands on the young tracker.

Evil thoughts corrupted Sareena's thinking, as she began to wonder - _What if Skarlet infects Bi-Han with her poison? What if she manages to somehow manipulate him into falling for her stupid tricks? What if she seduces him into serving her will, as her personal slave? _

The demoness had no doubt that the little assassin had a way of getting what she wanted, and was convinced that the conniving wench would somehow lay claim to _having owned _both Bi-Han and Kuai Liang. Sareena predicted It would only be a matter of time before Skarlet had Noob Saibot under her command. _Men are so weak…driven by their desire of female flesh._

Skarlet was an attractive woman no doubt, but Sareena wonder what it was about the little girl that had the Forces of Darkness scuffling over her.

The demoness was in full jealously mode, as dozens of thoughts raced through her head and each one was making her more and more angry. The thought of strangling the young girl to death is what kept her going.

"I won't stop until I find you…" Sareena promised.

* * *

Skarlet, Smoke, and Noob Saibot arrived in Earthrealm to begin their search. The fresh air and bright atmosphere was refreshing to Skarlet, as it had been awhile since her return. The Hemomancer closed her eyes and tried to pick up the scent of Sub-Zero, as she did her best to track him. The team hid in an alleyway near the Cathedral - the Forces of Light's home base - as they assumed Kuai Liang had consulted with Lord Raiden's team before taking off on his own.

"Do your best and locate him quickly…I cannot wait to see my his expression upon seeing us return." Noob Saibot said, as he dreamed of destroying Sub-Zero's mind before actually killing him with his bare hands.

"We must becareful not to alert the other Earthrealm fighters with our presence. We are greatly outnumbered." Smoke said.

Skarlet ignored the two as she focused hard on picking up any traces of Sub-Zero. If he was indeed still alive, the Hemomancer wanted a chance to finish the job she started. It was only fitting that she would be the one to do so. And once Kuai Liang was dead, Skarlet was going to return to the Netherrealm and make Scorpion and Ermac pay for what they did to her._ They will both be lying in a pool of their own blood, with my swords lodged into their ears…_

"You do not talk much do you young one?" Noob stated as he stared at the young tracker, interrupting her thoughts.

Skarlet opened her eyes and turned to face the wraith.

"Sub-Zero's life belongs _to me_..." she answered.

"Foolish child! The only reason you are here is to help us locate him! Nothing more…"

"Allow me to finish what I have started."

"You had your chance and blew it. Let me show you how it is done…"

Skarlet shook her head. "I _owe _him death. He, Scorpion and Ermac will all feel my wrath!"

"Do not forget our agreement youngling…you would not be here if it were not for us." the wraith replied.

Noob Saibot was right. As much as Skarlet hated to admit it, she owed him and Smoke her life.

"Fine…let's make a game out of it. Once we locate Sub-Zero, the first one to kill him wins…" Skarlet proposed.

Noob Saibot opened his mouth to respond but didn't. He thought about Skarlet's offer, and after careful consideration…agreed. It seems that they all had a score to settle with Kuai Liang, and the only way to settle this argument without having the trio fight one another, was to turn it into a friendly competition. _And after Sub-Zero is dead, you will be next…_ Noob Saibot thought, as he would no longer have any use for the slave girl. _Or would he?_

* * *

Deep in a volcano of Earthrealm, a large Dragon watched as a powerful figure erupted from within a giant rock. The Dragon spoke.

"**Taven! It is good to see you have awakened. Do not worry…your strength will soon return."**

The warrior spoke. "Orin? What happened?"

"**You were encased in stone - to protect you from harm until I received the signal to awaken you. You are no longer in Edenia, Taven. You are in Earthrealm."**

"I don't understand. Why am I in Earthrealm?"

"**Your father has a very important task for you. Your brother, Daegon, will also be participating. It is a competition between you two from what I understand."**

"Competition? Last I remember, Daegon and I were summoned to Father's throne room, and…"

"…**and there you were both rendered unconscious. I don't know the details of this quest. I was charged only with hiding you in Earthrealm and awaking you when the time came. That time is now."**

"No…This is all too strange. Where is my father? I wish to speak with him." Taven replied.

"**I will send you to his temple. Find the main chamber and place your hand on the altar. Your father will speak to you there and present you with a weapon to use on your quest. No doubt your brother has been awakened by Caro and will be sent there shortly."**

"Why will I need a weapon? Very well, Orin. Lead the way.

* * *

"

* * *

_Sub-Zero felt Skarlet's sweet tender kiss on his neck. Somehow, she had found her way to him, tracking him down at the new Lin Kuei palace. Kuai Liang no longer felt hate for his former love, and once again found himself completely entranced by her touch._

_She was on top of him as he lay in bed, kissing him passionately. He ran his hands all over her slender body, and her skin was just as smooth as he remembered it. Sub-Zero placed his hands on her behind and squeezed it tight, as she broke off the tender kiss to moan. He missed her dearly, and nothing made Kuai Liang happier than to have Skarlet back._

_He wrapped his arms around, and held her tight to his chest, as he never wanted to let her go again. The sweet smell of her hair, and big grey eyes had Sub-Zero falling hard for her all over again. What happened in the past did not matter anymore, what mattered was that they were together again, and that their love was stronger than ever._

"_I have missed you so…" Skarlet whispered, before kissing and running her tongue along his neck . Sub-Zero grasped her shapely thighs and kissed her back fiercely, before running his hand up her torso and onto her chest._

_She grabbed the back of his hands and pressed them closer to her body. Skarlet then tilted forward, brought a hand down and slipped it into his pants. She grabbed and caressed him, making Kuai Liang close his eyes in pleasure._

"_Let me have you…" she whispered into Sub-Zero's ear again, before grabbing the sides of his face and kissing him with intense passion. "I am yours, Skarlet…" he whispered back._

_Her touch was no longer warm, but cool, much cooler than he remembered. Skarlet plunged her ice cold tongue into his mouth - _which was enough to wake him, as Sub-Zero opened his eyes.

Who he found straddled on top of him was not Skarlet…but Frost. Topless.

Sub-Zero's eyes went wide, as he realized that his dream was half real, with the only difference being that it was his pupil who had been kissing him, and not his former love.

Kuai Liang was speechless, as he did not know how to respond.

"Frost?" Sub-Zero said, in utter disbelief.

"I want you to have me master, I want you to have all of me…" Frost whispered, as she lowered herself down to contniue furiously kissing him.

Kuai Liang went along with what was happening, as he still could not comprehend it. His student was young, attractive, and full of life and energy. What was there not to like about her? It had been awhile since Sub-Zero felt a woman's touch, and it was so easy to just give in. He began to get more into her, as he started to match Frost's aggressiveness.

The young warrior began to remove and tear away her master's clothing in anticipation, as she was finally going to get what she wanted. Sub-Zero sat up, grabbed her behind and rotated, placing her unto her back, and assuming the top position. Frost removed her own undergarments, throwing them to the side. Kuai Liang laid down on top of her, and continued their passionate kissing.

It was so wrong but felt so right, as Sub-Zero held the back of Frost's head and buried his face into hers.

"_Yes…give it to me…" _Frost said softly, still completely consumed by the intense moment.

Kuai Liang's naked body felt incredible on top of hers, and she sure that what was about to happen next, was going to be the most incredible moment of her life - aside from finally owning the Dragon Medallion. Frost turned her head to the side while Sub-Zero continued to place his mouth on her neck, and saw it there - sitting on the bed next to them - gleaming in the moonlight.

The young warrior let out a moan in ecstasy as her eyes glazed over the marvellous artefact, while her master kissed and caressed her. She couldn't wait any longer.

"Enter me…" Frost begged, looking up at Sub-Zero with lust in her eyes.

Sub-Zero went for it but hesitated, as his conscience kicked in. _Show yourself restraint, have honour…Do not corrupt yourself, and the young warrior. She is the future of the clan…_

Kuai Liang made the move to get up off her, but Frost wrapped her strong legs around his waist and held him to her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, with a look of concern in her eyes.

"I am sorry Frost…"

"Don't do this master, let me _please_ you…"

"I cannot. This is not right. I cannot give in to temptation. We must show ourselves discipline. I am your master, and you are my student."

"Nobody has to know about us… "

Sub-Zero sat at the edge of the bed and looked down. He shook his head slowly.

"Now is not the time…"

The young woman crawled over to him and started kissing him behind the ear. "Yes it is..." she said seductively. Kuai Liang stopped her.

"You must go."

Frost sighed as she was deeply disappointed. She stood up from the bed, holding a sheet to cover herself. She walked towards the door but stopped, and turned to face the Grandmaster.

"Is there any other reason why you will not have me?" she asked.

Sub-Zero looked up at her.

"No Frost."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, young one..."

"Then tell me... who is Skarlet?"

* * *

**Frost demands to know who Skarlet is, as Sub-Zero called out her name while he was asleep. Hard times are ahead for the Lin Kuei Grandmaster, as he is confronted by his young student, and at the same time being hunted by his brother, his comrade, and his former love…**

_**Back in Outworld, Lord Raiden has suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Onaga. Did he survive? Or will the Forces of Light be leaderless?**_

_**With Taven - the Half-God, Half-Edenian - being awakened, what mission will his father have for him?**_


	8. Chapter 8 Power

**Sub-Zero**

_Things between Frost and I have not been the same since that night. My student is exceptional in hiding her true feelings, but I can still sense the bitterness she has deep within. Turning her away was the hardest, but best thing I could have ever done. I would have shamed not only myself, but the entire Lin Kuei as well if I had given in to my physical desire._

_I told Frost everything about Skarlet. I had hoped to keep my past behind me, but my student insisted on knowing everything about the woman I once loved. Even with my reassurance, Frost is absolutely convinced that I am not over her. She tells me I am lying and that she can see the pain in my eyes. Maybe Frost is right? Maybe I am lying to myself…_

_Everything I have been through in my life - all the pain, all the training, and all the battles I have fought could not ever prepare me mentally, or physically for the experience of love. Skarlet was my everything. I had given up my ways for her and felt happiness. I considered my life complete. As long as I had her, I had it all…_

_Then Skarlet betrayed me._

_I felt like my whole world was taken away. I was weak. I had lost sight of who I was because of her, and all that had happened between us. I decided to leave Lord Raiden and the others to find myself, and be the warrior I once was. After returning to the Lin Kuei and defeating Sektor, I assumed the role of Grandmaster. The life of Kuai Liang was back on track. Sub-Zero had returned._

_And then Frost happened._

_Never did I hope for things to turn around again so quickly. I certainly did not expect to end up being the sifu of such a young, and impressive student. However, her skills and abilities are overshadowed by her arrogance, and hostility. I had wished to teach her humility and respect for her power, but I fear that the situation between us has changed, and that task is becoming more of a challenge…_

* * *

**CHAPTER VIII**

* * *

Sub-Zero and Frost trained in the large hall of the Lin Kuei palace. The energy between the Grandmaster and his student was different than what it used to be. Their sparring session felt awkward to Sub-Zero, as he could feel that Frost was more aggressive, and striking him harder compared to their previous practices. She hardly spoke, and seemed determined to inflict pain on her master.

Kuai Liang felt the need to increase his defensive effort as his student's punches and kicks were beginning to pound harder, and harder against his flesh...It was only a matter of time before she caused serious damage. Sub-Zero saw the look in Frost's unforgiving eyes as she charged forward with a punch, punch, kick combo.

_Smack. Smack._

The young warrior's fists collided with her master's forearms as her attacks were blocked. Frustration was starting to set in for Frost, as she wanted nothing more than to get back at Sub-Zero - for rejecting her advances - by smashing his head in. She was close to achieving her goal, as her knuckles were getting closer and closer to kissing Sub-Zero's face.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster was concerned now, as Frost was driven more by her emotions than her focus, and was beginning to fight blindly. Sub-Zero decided to end the sparring session early before things turned ugly. He bobbed his head back and caught her fist, keeping it locked in his grasp. The young warrior tried clawing him with her other arm, but Kuai Liang snatched her wrist and held it tight, halting her attack.

"Frost, is everything alright? You are not yourself today." Sub-Zero asked.

The young warrior kneed him in the chest and ripped her arms free while he stumbled back.

"I'm fine." she responded coldly.

"Your judgement is clouded by your emotions. Perhaps we shall continue your training when you have cleared your mind…"

"My mind is perfectly clear master. I know what I am doing, and what is going to happen…" Frost said, as her eyes quickly shot down to the shiny medallion Sub-Zero wore on his chest.

Still clueless about his student's intentions, Kuai Liang eased up from his fighting stance and began to walk slowly towards his apprentice.

"I apologize for what had transpired last evening, but we cannot let our personal desires prevail over our commitments to the clan. Even friendship is forbidden in the Lin Kuei..."

"You have _no idea _of what I desire master…" Frost whispered, as she struck the approaching Sub-Zero hard in the chest, sending him backwards before bringing her palms together to charge up an ice beam.

"Lets see how powerful I have become, shall we?" Frost asked, as she channelled much of her energy into the attack.

Sub-Zero's eyes went wide as he could not believe what she was about to do.

"Frost...enough!" he said, as held up a hand.

The young warrior ignored her master's order as she continued to form and power-up the ice blast.

"Frost, that is an order! Shut it down!" Sub-Zero warned.

The sadistic look in her eyes and evil smirk told the Grandmaster that his pupil was not listening, and that she had absolutely lost her mind.

"FROST, THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING! CALM YOURSELF!"

The young female began to chuckle as she was preparing to launch the Cryokinetic attack. Sub-Zero glared at his student before taking a defensive stance.

"So be it…" Sub-Zero said, as he began to charge-up his own ice beam to counter hers.

Frost screamed in fury as she unleashed the powerful blast.

* * *

Back in Outworld, Lord Raiden began to stir in the rubble of a crater, sitting up and rolling on to all-fours after being laid out by a vicious attack from Onaga. The God of Thunder felt like his body was shattered and any movement that he made was painful and unbearable. Raiden heard the Dragon King slowly approach, as Onaga shook the ground with every step he took.

"**YOUR TIME HAS COME TO AN END, THUNDER GOD. NOW EMBRACE YOUR DESTINY!" **The Dragon King exclaimed.

The God of Thunder was defeated. He stood no chance of beating the large creature, and the terrifying realization of knowing what the Forces of Darkness had recruited, had set in. Raiden knew he would need to return with help to fight off Onaga. If the Dragon King stood side-by-side with Lord Shinnok and Quan Chi in the battle of Armageddon, then the war was already lost. The Thunder God needed to retreat.

Onaga was finally going to do what so many others before him could not and kill Lord Raiden. The large creature was only steps away from fulfilling his mission - before the God of Thunder held an arm up to the sky, and teleported away in a flash of blue lightning.

"**NO! COWARD!" **Onaga growled, as Lord Raiden had robbed him of his victory.

The Dragon King could not believe that he was denied of such an epic fatality on a being that many warlords and sorcerers would kill for. Lord Shinnok and Quan Chi would have been very pleased if Onaga had finished their chief adversary.

"**RAIDEN! YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE LAST OF ME!" **The Dragon King promised, as he howled towards the sky.

Far off in the distance, Sareena's eyes went wide with fear as she heard Onaga's mighty roar. While the sexy demoness was very capable of handling herself, she doubted that she stood much of a chance against some of Outworld's creatures of the night. Sareena silently cursed herself again for following Skarlet, and that her anger towards the young tracker eventually led the demoness to being stranded and alone. _I will make you pay for this Skarlet. Just you wait…_

* * *

Noob Saibot was growing impatient. Skarlet was taking much longer to track Kuai Liang down than he expected, and hiding out in an alley near the Earthrealm warriors' stronghold wasn't exactly the safest place for the trio to be. The wraith spoke.

"What is taking so long? I think I have made a mistake. Maybe Shao Kahn's prized tracker has a malfunction…"

Skarlet - who was using her acute senses to pick up on Sub-Zero's scent - opened her eyes and glared at him.

"Perhaps you should try…Oh I forgot, you can't. You're already dead. That nose rotting behind your mask is probably useless."

"Right now, between the three of us, you are the useless one. You couldn't even finish off my brother when you had the chance!" Noob Saibot spat.

Skarlet shot back. "And how successful were you in trying to kill Kuai Liang? Like the time at the cemetery, where he impaled and killed you, before tossing your carcass into Quan Chi's Soulnado?"

Bi-Han grit his teeth and clenched his fist at the reminder of his second death. The first one being murdered by Scorpion, and the last at the hands of his brother. Noob Saibot wanted nothing more than revenge and was desperate to track Sub-Zero down at any cost. If he was to have any hope of finding his younger brother, Skarlet would be his best bet. The wraith needed her, but first he was going to teach the young assassin some manners.

"You ungrateful little wench, you would not be here if were not f-"

Noob Saibot started to say, as he stormed towards Skarlet raising his hand to slap the disrespectful servant girl, before Smoke stepped in and cut him off.

"Let us not forget our common goal and why we are here." the Enenra said, while placing his hand in between the two warriors as they stared each other down.

Skarlet was tensed and ready to react, but then a loud crackle emanated from inside the Cathedral, suddenly catching the trio's attention. The sound was very similar to when Lord Raiden would teleport and reappear in flashes of lightning. Skarlet rushed off towards the church, as she was going to sneak in and spy on the group. A very dangerous move indeed, but necessary as it might lead to clues of Sub-Zero's whereabouts.

"What are you doing!?" Noob Saibot called out after her.

Skarlet shot a look back.

"My Job. You may do as you please, but if you want to find Kuai Liang then follow me."

The team of Noob-Smoke exchanged a look before following the young tracker. They had no idea of what she was up to, but had to trust in the sleek assassin's skills.

"This crazy girl will get us all killed…" the wraith said, as he ran beside Smoke.

"Skarlet is the best at what she does. We must have faith in her plan and abilities." the Enenra replied.

The three warriors, crouched and huddled in the shadows near the entrance to the Cathedral. Skarlet slowly poked her head around the doorway to peek in on the Earthrealm group. She saw that Lord Raiden was in the middle of the pack, and it appeared as if he had just returned from somewhere. The Earthrealm warriors gathered around, while Sonya and Johnny Cage were helping him up.

A look of shock and despair was splashed all across the fighters' faces, as the God of Thunder looked badly beaten. Many of them began asking Raiden questions, such as what had happened, and who was responsible for this. Skarlet slipped into the Cathedral as quietly as a cat, to get a closer look and hear the commotion better.

Smoke watched as the gutsy assassin had snuck in and left him and Noob Saibot outside. He turned to look at Bi-Han.

"We must follow her. Be as stealthy as possible. We cannot afford to alert the others of our presence."

Noob Saibot nodded once, but mentally cursed Skarlet for putting them in this predicament. The wraith reminded himself of why the three of them were there in the first place, and that it was to locate Sub-Zero by any means necessary. Even if it meant spying on the enemy.

Lord Raiden may know of Kuai Liang's exact location, or could possibly be expecting the Cryomancer to join them shortly. He slipped inside the church behind Smoke to follow them into the shadows.

The trio had to be extremely careful, and could not afford to have a fight break out. Although Lord Raiden was severely weakened, the team of Noob-Smoke plus Skarlet was greatly outnumbered.

The three of them watched from the shadows and listened in on the conversation. Fujin approached Lord Raiden as Sonya and Johnny propped the Thunder God up.

"Raiden, tell us what happened. Who did this to you?"

The God of Thunder struggled to hold his head up and was breathing heavy.

"Onaga…he has…returned to Outworld…and is very…powerful…" Raiden replied.

The Earthrealm warriors exchanged confused and concerned looks, as some of them did not know much about the Dragon King.

Hiding in the shadows, Skarlet turned to Noob Saibot, while Lord Raiden began to explain things to the Earthrealm warriors.

"Who is Onaga?" she whispered.

The wraith slowly shook his head while keeping his eyes trained on the group, half-listening to them and half-listening to Skarlet. "I do not know..."

Lord Raiden continued to speak.

"Onaga is very powerful. We can ill-afford to have him stand at the side of Lord Shinnok and Quan Chi. I'm afraid we would not stand a chance against the three of them together."

* * *

Back at the Lin Kuei temple, Frost had just launched her powerful ice blast in her master's direction. Sub-Zero watched as the large blue beam shot towards him and reacted by unleashing his own beam to counter hers.

_**BOOM!**_

The two attacks collided with each other, the force of the impact shaking the entire Lin Kuei temple, and alerting the other clan members. Many of them stopped what they were doing - whether it be training, eating, or meditating - and rushed to the scene.

The two continuous streams of energy and ice struggled against one another, the large ball of concentrated power at the centre was beginning to freeze the surrounding environment. Frost was pushing everything she had into the attack, and could feel that she was starting to gain the upper hand.

Sub-Zero was surprised at his student's power, and felt the need to exert more of his own energy.

"FROST! STOP THIS AT ONCE!" he yelled from behind his attack.

The young warrior did not hear what her master had said as she was screaming in rage, while pressing her attack. Frost dug deep within herself and found more energy and channelled it into her ice blast. The blue beam that emanated from her palms grew twice as large, and had much more concentration.

Sub-Zero could feel that Frost was pushing her limits, and had to take it upon himself to end this madness. Just then, many of the clan members had shown up, gathered around, and saw what was happening. Looks of shock and confusion were among the Lin Kuei, as they had no idea of what to do.

"EVERYONE LEAVE!** NOW**!" the Grandmaster commanded.

Groups of the clan scattered in all directions, not wanting to get frozen or caught up in the tense struggle. Whether or not this was part of Frost's training, the Lin Kuei did not care to stick around and find out.

Sub-Zero took it to the next level, and pushed more power into his attack, the Dragon Medallion on his chest glowing a bright blue while he exerted energy. _I am sorry Frost, but I must end this now._ Kuai Liang thought as he made the move to finish the situation. A huge wave of force rippled from his palms along the length of his ice beam and shot towards the centre concentration.

The Grandmaster's power smashed through Frost's attack, and caused a great explosion of Cryokinetic energy. Frost was launched back and slammed into a support pillar many meters away. Sub-Zero back flipped out of the way as the ice blast shot in all directions, and began to freeze the entire Lin Kuei temple. The blue energy crawled all along the floors and walls of the large structure, encasing it in ice.

* * *

"So what is your plan, Lord Raiden?" Kenshi asked.

"I will need some of you to return to Outworld with me. Together, we must eliminate Onaga, and prevent him from standing with the Forces of Darkness."

"Wouldn't our presence alert Shinnok, and trigger an early war in Outworld?" Fujin asked.

Lord Raiden turned to him.

"Then we must execute our plan as quickly and as stealthy as possible, and leave before the enemy has a chance to retaliate."

"But you are severely weakened, we will not stand much a chance with you in this state..." the God of Wind replied.

"I will be alright. I am already starting to feel my body recov-" Lord Raiden stopped in mid sentence, as he received a vision. His eyes went blank and his body froze, as he stared off into space.

The Earthrealm warriors all went silent and placed their full attention on the Thunder God.

Raiden then blinked, and the fighters were all relieved when a small smile formed on his face.

Sonya Blade spoke. "Lord Raiden, what is it?" she asked, nervous, tense, and excited all at the same time.

"It is Sub-Zero…I have just picked up on his energy signal. His power is great and immense. I now know where he is! I must teleport to him at once! We will need him to journey with us into Outworld."

* * *

**The power surge between Sub-Zero and Frost was strong enough to be felt by Lord Raiden thousands of miles away. The Cryomancer has been located by the Forces of Light, but they are unaware that a team hiding in the shadows, is looking for the Lin Kuei Grandmaster as well…**

* * *

Sorry it took a while to update. Don't know when I will update next. I will try to get chapter 9 up asap.

Thanks for reading.


	9. Chapter 9 Reunion

**CHAPTER IX**

* * *

The Earthrealm warriors anxiously gathered around Lord Raiden as he continued to give them the good news.

"Sub-Zero is alive and well. His power has grown and will be useful against the Forces of Darkness."

"Where is he!?" Sonya Blade asked.

"I believe he is located far east, in the icy region of Arctika. I will teleport there and confer with him. There is much to explain…"

The moment they heard his name, the trio hiding in the shadows all tensed themselves with anxiety and excitement. The one person who Skarlet, Smoke, and Noob Saibot were looking for, was finally found.

"_Sub-Zero!" _they all whispered, at almost the same exact moment.

Noob Saibot turned towards Skarlet and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Excellent work, slave girl. Sub-Zero will soon be ours..."

"We must be careful to keep our emotions in check…we cannot afford to alert Lord Raiden of our presence." Smoke warned.

Skarlet remained silent, keeping her focus and eyes trained on the Earthrealm group, carefully listening to their plans.

_Arctika? What in the name of Blaze is he doing there? _Noob Saibot thought to himself. The Wraith had no idea what business his brother had doing in the icy region and if it had anything to do with the mysterious disappearance of the Lin Kuei.

"What is our plan? Surely we cannot attack Sub-Zero if we allow him to align with the forces of Earthrealm." Smoke asked, interrupting Bi-Han's train of thought.

"Let us wait, and see what they plan to do first. Then, when the moment is right, we will execute Sub-Zero."

The Noob-Smoke duo then returned their attention to Lord Raiden, as the Thunder God continued on with his plans.

"I shall teleport to Sub-Zero immediately. I will inform him of the events that have taken place during his absence, and will convince him to join us. Fujin, you will be in command while I am away."

"Yes, Lord Raiden." The God of Wind replied.

And with that, the God of Thunder held an arm up to the sky and teleported away in a flash of blue lightning.

* * *

Frost opened her eyes and slowly tried to recover. She had suffered from severe whiplash and massive back pain from slamming into the concrete pillar, after being thrown backwards by the powerful explosion. The young student pushed up from the ground, with every inch of her body aching with unpleasant sensation. Still groggy, her eyes struggled to focus on the figure that approached her.

It was her master, Sub-Zero, with a very stern look on his face.

"Are you alright, Frost?" he asked.

The young warrior bit her lip and shook her head, as tears began to pour down her face. Frost had never been so ashamed and disappointed in herself. She had challenged her master out of anger - for rejecting her previous advances - and then failed to defeat him, ultimately being humbled and humiliated.

"Forgive me master. I acted stupid and childishly…" Frost said, sniffing and wiping away the last of her tears.

"There is nothing to forgive young one…I understand what you are going through. You are powerful and very passionate. Those are good qualities to have and will make you a great leader one day."

Frost nodded her head and looked up. Her eyes locked on the bright Dragon Medallion gleaming on Sub-Zero's chest, and she suddenly realized why she had lost the power struggle to her master. It was because of the medallion. It enhances the powers of the owner, giving anyone who wears it a great advantage in battle. _The only reason he beat me was because of that medallion, if he did not have it, or if I owned it, I would've killed him and won._

Frost reminded herself of the ultimate goal, which was to obtain the artefact by any means necessary.

"…However, actions that put the lives of the other clan members at risk or in danger is unacceptable..." Sub-Zero continued to speak. "You must learn how to control your temper. Anger is healthy, but must be controlled."

The Lin Kuei clan members slowly approached one by one, gathering around, sensing that the situation had settled. The Grandmaster kept his eyes on his apprentice as his followers continued to multiply - staring at Frost - awaiting to see what would happen next.

Just then, a flash of blue lightning followed by a crackle of thunder lit up the temple hall, as Lord Raiden appeared before them.

Sub-Zero's eyes went wide, and he immediately kneeled before the Thunder God. Upon seeing their Grandmaster act, the Lin Kuei followers immediately followed suit, bending down on one knee and lowering their head in respect. Frost who wasstill half-laying on the ground, glanced at her fellow clan mates before returning her attention to the God of Thunder.

"Lord Raiden, welcome…It has been a long time…" Sub-Zero said.

"Greetings Sub-Zero, you have been missed. I see you have done well for yourself..." The Thunder God replied as he looked around.

"Not for myself…but for the Lin Kuei."

Raiden nodded. "The Lin Kuei has come very far from being a band of assassins. It appears to be in good hands under your care and guidance."

"The clan is now committed to protecting Earthrealm. We constantly train and fight for the forces of good…"

"I commend you for your work Kuai Liang. I am proud of what you have accomplished in a short amount of time, but I have come to ask something of you…"

"What is it, Lord Raiden?"

"As you know, the Forces of Darkness is growing stronger with every passing moment. Of when they will strike with full force, I do not know. But I do know that the Forces of Earthrealm must be ready to act when called upon. I need you to join us. I would not ask unless it were under extreme circumstances...Will you come with me Sub-Zero?" Lord Raiden asked, holding his hand out.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster stood up, already knowing the answer before Raiden finished asking his question. Sub-Zero took a look around at his followers, who were now looking at him, awaiting to see how he would respond. It would be difficult to leave his clan behind, but if Lord Raiden needed his assistance, he would be there for the God of Thunder. Kuai Liang was going to join the fight not only for Earthrealm, but for the Lin Kuei as well.

Sub-Zero's eyes stopped on Frost, before returning to Lord Raiden.

"I will join you Lord Raiden, but as long as my apprentice Frost, comes with me." The Grandmaster gestured towards the young warrior on the floor. Frost had a surprised look on her face as she stood up from the ground, and joined them.

"She is powerful and cunning, and will be of great assistance. It is time for Frost to show her skills and experience a real battle." Sub-Zero said to Raiden, while keeping his eyes on the student.

"Greetings Frost, you are most welcome…" The Thunder God said, as he smiled at the young warrior.

Frost bowed her head in return. Sub-Zero turned to her. "I apologize, but it looks like I may have to cut your training short."

The young warrior gave a half smile and nodded. _It's not like I need anymore training anyway…_ she thought.

"Come, let us join the others. I am confident Earthrealm will be well protected in our absence." Lord Raiden said, as he glanced around at the Lin Kuei.

Sub-Zero pointed at Brutus, who was by far the largest member of the group.

"Brutus, you are in charge until we return."

"Yes master." the large warrior replied, still in his kneeling position.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster and his apprentice walked towards Lord Raiden, who already had a hand out towards them, and another held up towards the sky. Sub-Zero took the Thunder God's hand and held Frosts' with his other. The three of them then vanished, and teleported away in fury of light.

* * *

Back at the Catherdral, the Forces of Light anxiously awaited Lord Raiden's return.

"If this Onaga dude was able to take Raiden down on his own, then we're done for."

Johnny Cage said, already in despair.

"Don't be a quitter, I'm sure things will be alright if we work together." Sonya Blade replied. "And besides, we are gonna get Sub-Zero back. He will help our chances of bringing this guy down."

"Have faith in Lord Raiden, the Thunder God knows what he is doing." Kenshi said.

"I am positive he will return shortly with good news." Fujin added.

Kai, Shujinko, Bo Rai Chi, and Li Mei all looked as unsure as Johnny did, but were still committed to the Forces of Light nonetheless.

A bolt of blue lightning zapped the ground a few feet away from the group, and in an instant, Lord Raiden, Sub-Zero, and a mysterious young warrior appeared before them.

The girl at Sub-Zero's side had spiky ice-blue hair, and wore an outfit and mask similar to his own. She looked like she could've been his younger sister, or a female version of him.

"Sub-Zero!" Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade exclaimed, as the others looked on.

"Good to see you again, Mr Freeze! Wait a minute…have you been working out?" the action star quipped.

The Sub-Zero standing before him did not look like the Sub-Zero he knew. He appeared to be more muscular and defined, and the new outfit he wore topped off the Cryomancer's extreme makeover.

Sub-Zero also wore a large shiny medallion on his chest, and Johnny Cage wondered how much the hardware cost the cold warrior, as it looked very valuable and expensive.

"It is good to see you all again." Sub-Zero greeted.

The jaws of the trio who were hiding in the shadows and crouched behind a bench, all dropped as their target appeared before them. Noob Saibot could barely recognize his younger brother, as Kuai Liang appears to have gotten stronger and more powerful since the last time he saw him. Smoke noticed that his former ally also moved with more confidence and poise, compared to the young warrior he entered Outworld with so many moons ago.

Noob Saibot squinted as if to try and focus his vision on the circular artefact that Kuai Liang wore on his chest. There was no way it could possibly be the Dragon Medallion.

Smoke noticed it too.

"_Why is Kuai Liang wearing the Grandmaster's Medallion?" _the Enenra asked, whispering his question to Noob.

Bi-Han shook his head as he did not know why, but it would surely explain Sub-Zero's dramatic power increase and transformation.

Neither of them were more taken aback than Skarlet, who subconsciously began to rise from her hiding position. She slowly stood up, her eyes wide and not blinking. Smoke noticed what the young assassin was doing, and immediately put a hand on her shoulder and pulled down hard to stop her from rising.

"_Fool! You will give away our position_…" the Enenra whispered.

Skarlet either didn't care or didn't hear as she firmly brushed his hand away. She was oblivious to the world around her as she could only see Sub-Zero and the female warrior that stood beside him, clutching his arm. This was not the Sub-Zero she had left behind. This was a man who had transformed during his time apart from her, and had moved on to reach new levels in his life.

"Raiden, what is the plan now?" Fujin asked the Thunder God.

"We will separate into two groups. Sub-Zero, Frost, Kenshi, Kai, and I shall head to Outworld to try and stop Onaga. If we cannot destroy the Dragon King, we can at least immobilize him with Sub-Zero's freezing ability, and prevent him from marching with the Forces of Darkness. We cannot leave Earthrealm defenseless, so you and the others shall remain here."

"As you wish, Lord Raiden..."

Sonya Blade stared at the girl standing close to Sub-Zero. Even though Skarlet wasn't herself and had jumped-ship to the bad guys' team, she did not like how Kuai Liang had given up so quickly and easily on Skarlet.

"Sub-Zero, where have you been…and who is this?" Sonya asked, tilting her chin up towards the young fighter in blue.

Frost did not like the vibe she was getting from the blonde bimbo. She came off as a tough-as-nails-no-nonsense type character, which annoyed the young warrior. Frost also had problems with authority, and knew right off the bat that her and Miss Military weren't going to end up being best friends for life. _I am in no mood for anybody to be crossing me…especially this bitch._

Sub-Zero gestured towards her.

"This is my protégé, Frost…I took her under my wing shortly after assuming leadership of the Lin Kuei."

_Impossible! How on Earthrealm did Kuai Liang become Lin Kuei Grandmaster!? _Noob Saibot thought. It infuriated Bi-Han to know that his little brother who had lived in his shadow for all his life, had surpassed him in the ranks of the legendary clan. It was mind boggling to the wraith.

"Leader of the Lin Kuei? Since when did you become the leader of a clan?" Johnny Cage asked.

Sub-Zero took a deep breath.

"I returned to the Lin Kuei temple in China. Upon my arrival, I discovered that many of my clan mates along with the Grandmaster had been murdered in cold blood by Sektor. I avenged them and became Lin Kuei Grandmaster by defeating him in battle. My first order as leader was to relocate the clan to the icy region of Arctika in China. Once we had settled there, I held a tournament which Frost had won, and took her in as my pupil."

"Ahhh…gotacha." The action star replied. "What a nice little story."

"That explains why Sub-Zero wears the Dragon Medallion." Smoke whispered.

He then looked up to see that Skarlet was as still as a statue, her eyes still locked on the pair of Cryomancers. She looked like she was in a trance, with a million thoughts racing through her mind…and not all of them were good.

Smoke tried to pull Skarlet down again to prevent her from giving away their position, but she smacked his arm away causing a brief little scuffle between the two, which was enough to get Lord Raiden's attention.

The Earthrealm fighters were all talking amongst each other and asking Sub-Zero questions when the Thunder God held up his arms to silence them.

"Wait...We are not alone…" Raiden said, as he scanned the Cathedral, picked up on a shuffling noise from one of the dark corners in the church.

"_**THERE!" **_The God of Thunder shouted as he pointed towards a bench, not far from the Cathedral entrance.

The group spun around and saw Skarlet standing there, staring straight at them with an intense look.

* * *

**The trio's cover has been blown, and it appears that a mini war is about to begin…**

_**~Also~**_

**How are Sub-Zero and Skarlet going to act upon seeing each other after so long?**


	10. Chapter 10 Showdown

_The trio of Smoke, Skarlet, and Noob Saibot had been detected by Lord Raiden. Skarlet could not control her actions upon seeing Sub-Zero again. All the hate, rage, and desire to kill him had vanished in an instant. Quani Chi's mind control over her had never more been tested._

_New wild emotions surfaced for the young tracker when her former lover appeared with a mysterious woman beside him. Skarlet had no idea of who this young warrior was or how she had suddenly become a part of Kuai Liang's life, but she could sense that there was much more going on between the two besides a master and student relationship._

_The feelings inside Skarlet confused her. She had never felt this way before in her life, and although she originally intended to kill Sub-Zero, seeing him with this "Frost" made her think twice. _

_Aside from the millions of feelings, questions, and thoughts racing through her mind, Skarlet found herself suddenly intrigued by this young girl. There was so much she wanted to know about Frost, and could not help but feel animosity towards her even though they had never met._

_Skarlet had split her focus between the two Cyromancers. She could not keep her eyes off of them, or feel her own body. All she saw in her tunnel vision was them…_

* * *

**CHAPTER X**

* * *

"Blast her!" Noob Saibot spat as he burst up from his crouched position, and into the Earthrealm warriors' view.

Smoke was up beside him in an instant, while Skarlet remained still, staring at Sub-Zero and Frost with wide unblinking eyes. The Noob-Smoke tandem prepared themselves for battle.

"ATTACK THEM! AND DO NOT LET THEM ESCAPE! BLOCK THE EXITS!"

Lord Raiden commanded.

Every single member of the Forces of Light braced themselves, and all took fighting stances upon their discovery of the three spies. Everyone except for Sub-Zero, who upon seeing Skarlet again, did exactly what she was doing.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster himself was frozen in time, after turning his head and laying his eyes upon his former love. He too, went still with wide eyes and could not move. The woman he loved, the woman he had been through so much with, and then tried to kill him, was now standing a few meters away. Yet, Kuai Liang could not find it in himself to take revenge.

Sub-Zero did not know if he wanted to kill Skarlet, or hold her in his arms again. The power and strength he had gained from becoming Lin Kuei Grandmaster and wearing the amulet was useless against the emotions he felt after laying his eyes upon the assassin. The look of her beautiful face, striking red hair, and sleek body, along with the precious memories of their time together stopped Sub-Zero in his tracks.

The two warriors did not absolutely nothing but stare at each other, even as the chaos around them began. Smoke blitzed in for an elbow strike to Kai, folding the Monk over and sending him back, while Raiden flew through the air and charged Noob-Saibot.

The Wraith's shadow clone shot out from his body, and tackled the Thunder God.

"Alright, it's time for some action!" Frost said, as she crouched into an attack position.

She looked up at her master first, and saw what he was doing. _What the heck is he staring at?_

"Master, why aren't you-" Frost started to say, but then shot a glance at what Sub-Zero had his eyes locked on.

She noticed a young female ninja in red, and immediately remembered how her master had described his former partner. Frost suddenly felt a sinking, burning feeling in her chest.

"That is **her** isn't it? **That's your Skarlet**!" Frost shot at Sub-Zero, upon making the discovery.

Her master did not move or speak as his gaze was still locked on the young tracker, who continued to do the same. Frost definitely wanted a piece of this girl. Sub-Zero's former flame? The young Cryomancer definitely did not want to miss an opportunity to take the red-headed bitch on. Frost wanted to see how she stacked up against this "Skarlet".

"To hell with this! She's mine!" Frost shouted, as she started to charge towards the sleek assassin.

Sub-Zero broke the connection between him and Skarlet first, and grabbed his student by the shoulder, pulling her back.

"No Frost! Hold back, she is deadly and extremely dangerous! I do not want you taking her on by yourself!"

"Let go of me! First you drag me out here to fight by your side, now you doubt my abilities?!" The young warrior blasted, as she slapped her master's arm away.

Sub-Zero wrapped his arms around his student, and struggled to restrain her.

"I am not doubting your abilities Frost! You do not know how volatile Skarlet is! I know how skilled and strong you are, but **do not **underestimate her!"

Frost tried with all of her might to kick free. She had been dying for some real combat, and who better to test out her abilities on then Skarlet? Frost felt like all Sub-Zero wanted to do was to keep her from putting the beat down on his little ex-girlfriend.

Skarlet broke out of her trance once she saw that Frost had tried to charge and atttack her. The sleek tracker drew out her swords and marched forward, preparing to slice the little ice-tramp in to ice cubes. Skarlet definitely did not like how Sub-Zero was holding, and protecting her from certain death.

Meanwhile, Noob-Smoke fought against the Forces of Light with everything they had. Along with Skarlet, the trio was greatly outnumbered and had little chance of survival against the onslaught of Earthrealm's forces.

Kenshi dove in with a slash of his sword to try and decapitate Smoke, but the Enenra quickly vanished as the blade sliced through a cloud of vapour. Smoke rematerialized but was caught on the chin by Johnny Cage's shadow kick. The attack put the former Lin Kuei assassin on his back.

Noob Saibot had troubles of his own, as he fought against Lord Raiden while his shadow was taken out by Sonya Blade. All Bi-Han wanted was Sub-Zero, and his goal of taking his brother out was becoming more and more of an unattainable feat.

The Thunder God zapped Bi-Han with a bolt of electricity, slamming Noob against the wall.

Smoke recovered and quickly blitzed in to drive an elbow into Lord Raiden's back, catching the God of Thunder off guard. Fujin came to the rescue by launching a powerful gust of wind to knock the Noob-Smoke duo rolling on the ground backwards.

Sonya Blade then shot a glance at Skarlet, who had been confronted by Bo Rai Cho and Li Mei. The tracker drove a swift kick to the rotund belly of the Drunken Master, which made him vomit a puke puddle. Skarlet stepped back to dodge the emesis, which Bo Rai Cho had often used as an attack.

Li Mei then stepped in to engage the red-headed assassin, and the two girls squared off in an intense battle of hand-to-hand combat.

Frost - who was still being held back by Sub-Zero - wiggled hard in his grip.

"Why aren't we doing anything? We should be helping the others!" the pupil shouted at her master.

"Hold back, and be patient. Lord Raiden's forces have the situation well under control…"

Sub-Zero replied.

Unbeknownst to Frost, her master was also struggling to keep his emotions in-check and was internally restraining himself. Sub-Zero was certain that the three intruders who were spying on the group, were most certainly there to kill him.

First there was Noob Saibot, who probably wanted revenge for being killed by his younger brother. Second, there was Smoke, who had been a close friend and former ally to Kuai Liang. He must've been there because of the emotional ties that they had, and Noob Saibot sensed that if Sub-Zero saw them together, it would surely distract him. And then there was Skarlet...

No explanation was needed on why the young tracker was there. Almost everyone in the Cathderal knew about the history between Sub-Zero and Skarlet, and Kuai Liang was certain that Bi-Han had recruited her as his ultimate weapon against him.

Sub-Zero definitely wanted in on the action, and nothing would have pleased him more than to take out and eliminate the people of his past with his present strength. He had grown so much more stronger and powerful than when they all had last met. Kuai Laing wanted to teach his brother a lesson…his final lesson.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster knew better and was well disciplined, as he held himself together.

"If we attack now, we would only be interfering…" Sub-Zero whispered into Frost's ear, as he tried to calm his student down.

She watched as the trio of spies were being overwhelmed by the Forces of Earthrealm. The young Cryomancer paid most of her attention to Skarlet, who was gaining the upper hand against Li Mei.

The red-headed tracker struck the purple clad warrior back, and Li Mei responded with a flipping heel kick which knocked Skarlet down. The Hemomancer responded by kicking back up, and slid towards Li Mei in a red dash. Skarlet opened up a combo on the hapless girl and completed it by knocking her with a round house kick, making Li Mei stumble backwards.

"We need to retreat! We will die if do not find any means of escape!" Smoke shouted at Noob Saibot, as the Forces of Light pressed their attack.

The Wraith shot a dark portal into the air, which landed on Fujin, making the God of Wind fall through a portal, and dropping back down in front of Noob Saibot, who welcomed him with a powerful right cross.

Bi-Han continued by having his shadow clone run up behind the Wind God, and grab a hold of Fujin's arms while driving it's knee into his back, as Noob Saibot added a crushing kick to his midsection. Fujin folded over and vomited stomach bile.

Shujinko leapt in and smacked Noob Saibot with a flaming fist, knocking Bi-Han to the ground. Smoke rushed in and blasted Shujinko with a smoke bomb. He then grabbed Bi-Han and pulled him away. The duo made a move for the exit to try and escape. Lord Raiden teleported in front of the Cathedral doors, as he predicted Noob-Smoke's move.

The God of Thunder blasted the duo with a bolts of lightning, crashing them down to the centre of the Cathedral. Noob-Smoke writhed in pain, as charges of electricity scourged their bodies.

Skarlet ducked one of Kai's swinging fists, and retaliated with an uppercut. The Monk soared through the air and landed in a heap. Johnny Cage shuffled in to try and subdue her, but the stealthy assassin crushed the actor's face with a straight right.

Sonya Blade connected with a kick to Skarlet's ribs, before tackling her to the ground. The Lieutenant mounted the young tracker and tried to restrain her.

"I'm not giving up on you Skarlet…And whatever mind control you are under…we are going to help you break free from it…" Sonya said, as she grabbed the red-headed girl's arms and struggled to hold them still.

Skarlet fought hard and kicked Sonya Blade off of her. She kicked back up to her feet, and stalked towards the pair of Cryomancers.

"Alright, bring it." Frost said, as she braced herself and took a fighting stance. Her eyes narrowed as Skarlet approached with her swords drawn. Sub-Zero stepped forward and held his arm out, as if to signal Frost to stay back. The long awaited confrontation between the ex-lovers was about to happen.

Sonya sprung out of nowhere and wrapped her arms around Skarlet from behind. The tracker wiggled and sprawled out of her grip, grabbing and judo-throwing Sonya over her head, and slamming the Lieutenant on the ground. She then sheathed her swords before moving on.

Skarlet immediately stood still and her eyes went wide as she came face-to-face with Sub-Zero. The moment these two ex-lovers had been waiting for had finally arrived; Except, neither one of them had made the move to attack first. Sub-Zero could not find it in himself to fight or inflict harm on his former partner. Kuai Liang's willpower had crumbled at the sight of her deadly beauty once more.

Skarlet as well could not find the urge to bring pain to the man she loved and betrayed. The spell of which she was under had struggled to manage her emotions. It was a battle between her corrupted mind and her heart; The young Hemomancer hesitating on what action to take. Part of Skarlet wanted to thrust her swords into the pair of Cryomancers and absorb every last drop of their blood; while the other half wanted nothing more than to run into Sub-Zeor's arms again and hold him forever.

Subconsciously, Skarlet began to slowly circle to the right, as it appeared that she was finally making a move. Sub-Zero stood his ground, and followed his former love only with his eyes and turning his head. Although he couldn't trust Skarlet, Kuai Liang wasn't about to go into panic mode either.

Frost was losing her patience, as she saw that her master was hesitating. "Forget this!" she spoke out loud, as she then charge towards the sleek red-headed assassin.

Sub-Zero's quick reflexes kicked in, as he caught Frost again by the shoulder to prevent her from fighting Skarlet. "Frost, NO!" The Lin Kuei Grandmaster shouted, but the young student responded by backhanding his arm away, and using her other hand to drive her palm into Sub-Zero's chest.

Frost had struck her master with enough force to knock him off his feet. She then shot a small beam of ice, which froze her master to ground.

"FROST, STOP!" Sub-Zero commanded.

Skarlet had absolutely lost her mind upon seeing what Frost had done. A furious rage burned in her eyes as she did not see anything except for the young Cryomancer surrounded by imaginary fire in her tunnel vision. Time seemed to slow down as Skarlet stomped her way towards Frost, who had returned her focus on the charging Hemomancer.

All the training, skills, and discipline for these two young ladies had gone out the window, as their primal instincts took over. Skarlet rocketed into the air and tackled Frost to the ground. The Hemomancer wrapped her hands around her the young Cryomancer's neck, and squeezed with incredible strength, digging her red-polished nails into the young student's flesh. Frost coughed out as she felt air escape her mouth, but instinctively managed to yank on Skarlet's ponytail, and claw the Hemomancer's pretty face.

The move was not enough as Skarlet took the slash across the cheek, and continued to strangle the life out of the young Cryomancer. She then reached behind her back to draw out one of her swords, but Frost retaliated by grabbing Skarlet's wrist and freezing it, causing the Hemomancer to release her grip and drop her sword.

The young Lin Kuei member then kicked the red-headed girl off of her and rolled on top, taking the dominant position. Frost secured a full-mount and began raining down punches, yelling in fury as she struck the blood thirsty Skarlet.

The Hemomancer responded by grabbing Frost's uniform - yanking her downwards - and thrusting up to meet her face with a head butt. The Cryomancer fell off of Skarlet, giving the red-headed girl a chance to make it to her feet.

Skarlet then clutched Frost's spiky hair - who was on her knees - with both hands and began to yank on it with all of her might, trying to pull every strand clean-off of the young Cryomancer's scalp.

Frost squeezed her eyes from the pain, but her anger had kicked in, as she managed to make it to her feet and do the same to her attacker. The young Lin Kuei member pulled down hard on Skarlet's red ponytail, causing the Hemomancer's head to snap backwards.

Frost then kicked Skarlet away, who stumbled back and regained her footing.

The Hemomancer then slowly drew out her other sword and let it drop to the ground, as this was her way of signalling to Frost that this was going to be a straight-on bitch fight, and that she was going to end her life with bare hands.

The two young women finally agreed on something, as Frost interlocked her fingers and cracked her knuckles. She wasn't going to "Ice" the red-headed bitch, no…she was going to pound her into a bloody pulp.

The two girls charged at each other, engaging in an intense hand-to-hand combat. They were seemingly matched in speed and skill, blocking and deflecting each other's attacks.

Skarlet blocked a right hook from Frost, and smashed her with a straight-left fist. The young Cryomancer responded with a quick left-jab-right-straight combo to stun her opponent. Skarlet blocked a follow-up left knee from Frost, and threw a devastating roundhouse kick - her stiletto heel connecting with the Cryomancer's face - that whipped Frost across the face.

The young Lin Kuei member shot a front-right kick into Skarlet's well toned abs which made the red-headed assassin hunch over. Frost then jabbed her enemy with a left, and smacked her across the face with an open-palm slap.

Skarlet's face shot to the right as she stumbled back from the gesture. She pulled down her red mask and spat out blood, then slowly turning to face Frost and smiling. Skarlet put her mask back up and quickly kicked the young Cryomancer in the mid section, and slapped her once with the left hand, and then again with her right. The Hemomancer completed the attack with straight right that knocked Frost to the ground.

The Cryomancer then looked up at Skarlet, before pulling her own mask down and turning her head to the side to spit out blood. She then smiled at the Lady in Red with blood-soaked teeth.

"Game on, bitch…" Frost said, fixing her mask back on - and then in an instant, she was springing up and tackling Skarlet to the floor with lightning quick speed.

The two girls wrestled and rolled around the ground, slapping, scratching, and pulling on each other's hair.

Sub-Zero looked on in horror as he broke free from his ice restraints.

Skarlet took control and managed to mount Frost. She was about to strike down on her - when Fujin and Lord Raiden simultaneously launched their projectile attacks at the Hemomancer, who did not notice as she had her attention focused on her opponent.

The combined powers of wind and lightning blasted the young Tracker, and slammed her against the Cathedral wall. The impact was enough to knock Skarlet unconscious, as her body crumpled to the floor.

"NO!" Sub-Zero yelled, holding his arm out as if to stop the two Gods from attacking.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster looked on with wide eyes and quickly kicked-up to his feet, as his former love lay motionless with smoke still sizzling from her electrocuted body. Sub-Zero swallowed hard, and quickly ran over to Skarlet and Frost, making sure that they were both okay. He crouched down next to Skarlet, and although her beautiful eyes were closed, he saw that she was still breathing. His student then slowly began to recover, as she stood up and gathered herself.

Frost gave her master a hard look. "Why do you still care for her after what she has done?"

Sub-Zero ignored his student's question, and looked back up at her with hard eyes in return.

"I am not particularly impressed with the way you acted…I will deal with you in a moment." he replied, referring to Frost ignoring his orders and then proceeding to strike him down.

The young Cryomancer had never seen the look Sub-Zero was giving her now, even after all of the other things she had done in the past. For the first time ever, she was scared of master. Frost swallowed hard and looked down in shame. It would be much easier for her to accept her fate, rather than protest.

"I'm sorry master…forgive me. I was too caught up in the moment and let my emotions get the best of me…"

Sub-Zero stared at her for a moment and eased up as he took a deep breath before returning his attention to the fallen Skarlet. The Lin Kuei Grandmaster understood that it probably wasn't easy for his student to see his former love, assuming that Frost did in fact have feelings for him. Sonya Blade rushed over.

"Is she okay?" she asked Sub-Zero gently.

"She will be fine." Kuai Liang replied.

Frost looked at the military girl with hate. _Just get the hell out of here…you cow._

Fujin spoke up.

"Lord Raiden, go now and take your team into Outworld. The rest of us can handle the situation here." The God of Wind suggested.

The Thunder God looked around and saw that the three intruders were subdued. The Forces of Earthrealm surrounded the Noob-Smoke duo, as they continued to writhe in pain on the floor. Raiden then shot a glance at Skarlet, whom Sonya Blade was tending to. The God of Thunder noticed that Sub-Zero looked on with concern. Lord Raiden held out his arm toward him.

"Sub-Zero…come…" he said sombrely. He was relieved when the Cryomancer looked up at him and nodded.

"Kai, Kenshi, Li Mei…we will now leave while the others deal with the intruders." The Thunder God added.

The warriors who were called upon all nodded and made their way towards Lord Raiden. Sub-Zero still continued to look on as Sonya was trying to rouse Skarlet. Frost took her master by the arm and gently pulled him.

"Come on master, let us go…"

The Cryomancer reluctantly let himself be led to the group awaiting him.

Lord Raiden then raised an arm while Sub-Zero and Frost approached, his blue lightning already beginning to dematerialize the fighters. Kuai Liang then turned around and took one last look at the unconscious Skarlet, before teleporting away.

Sonya held Skarlet's head up and tried her best to wake her.

"Come on girl…wake up…" she said, as she gently shook her.

The damage caused by Fujin and Raiden did not appear to be life threatening, and Sonya Blade was confident that the young tracker was going to be alright.

Noob Saibot and Smoke both began to recover, slowly pushing themselves up onto all fours. Bo Rai Cho, Johnny Cage, Shujinko, and Fujin all closed in and surrounded the duo.

"You guys aren't going anywhere…It's to time to speak up!" Johnny spat.

"What is your plan? Did Quan Chi or Shinnok put you up to this?" Fujin asked."…_SPEAK UP_!"

The warriors did not answer. Instead Smoke looked up and suddenly threw a smoke bomb on the ground to distract the Earthrealm fighters. Each of them all covered their faces, as the Enenra then grabbed Noob Saibot, making them both vanish with his invisibility technique.

"Don't let them get away!" Johnny Cage coughed out.

Smoke then struck the action star with an elbow to his abdomen and clicked Shujinko's chin with a kick to the jaw. Noob Saibot answered by smashing Bo Rai Cho with a left hook and head-butting Fujin, knocking them both to the floor.

The Noob-Smoke duo quickly made their escape, bursting through the Cathedral entrance.

"What about the girl!?" Noob Saibot yelled.

"We cannot save her now…if we go back, we are all doomed!" Smoke shouted, as he dragged his team-mate with him, searching for a safe place to hide.

Back inside the church, Sonya Blade quickly rushed to the group's aid.

"Blast them!" the Lieutenant cussed, as she crouched beside a fallen Johnny Cage.

The remaining Forces of Light all slowly began to recover from the intruders cheap-shot attack.

"Do not worry, we will make them pay later on…" Bo Rai Cho promised.

"What about Skarlet…how is she…doing?" Johnny asked, still clutching his gut.

Sonya looked up and saw the young tracker stirring.

"I think she is going to be alright…I better go check on her."

"Careful…she may still be…acting weird…" The Action Star warned.

Skarlet felt strong hands carry her up. She was woozy, and her head felt like it had been hit by a ton of bricks. Memories, flashbacks, and images blurred through her mind as the last of Quan Chi's magic had subsided. Skarlet was now free of the sorcerer's mind control.

She shook and held a hand up to her head, still completely dizzy from all that had just happened. Her equilibrium was off, and patches of images of the events she had been through were still racing through her mind. Skarlet tried her best to shake off the images of Ermac, Scorpion, Quan Chi, Smoke, Noob Saibot, and all that had happened in the Netherrealm . Her heart sank when she realized what she had done to Sub-Zero. _Oh no._

Skarlet opened her eyes and quickly sat up. She gasped and began to hyperventilate.

"Easy…easy…" Sonya said, trying to soothe and calm her down. "You have just been through some major shit girl…Just relax."

"Where is…where is Sub-Zero…?" the Hemomancer breathed.

Sonya Blade sighed. "He went with the others to Outworld…You better take it easy, you haven't been yourself, and a lot of things have happened."

Skarlet swallowed hard. The last vivid memory she had before her mind went haywire - was charging Quan Chi and attempting to kill him, before he held his green glowing hands toward her. After that, everything had seemed like a dream up until now. Tears began to well up in her eyes as the weight of everything she had been through, finally crushed her. She had never been so angry and frustrated in her life, and she swore she would make Quan Chi pay for what he did to her.

Skarlet had been through agony and torture, as her life was being played like a puppet or a video game. Above all else, she had lost the love of her life because of what the sorcerer had done. The Hemomancer then remembered what Noob Saibot and Smoke had planned with her. Which was to assassinate Kuai Liang.

"Where is Noob Saibot and Smoke?" Skarlet asked.

"They got away…" Sonya replied.

"We have to find them…their mission is to kill Sub-Zero. That is why we were here!" the Hemomancer said frantically.

"And, you are sure?" Fujin asked.

"_YES! _They won't stop until they find him!"

"Do not worry young one. He is with Lord Raiden and the others. I am sure he will be safe."

* * *

The Forces of Light had arrived in Earthrealm. The crew scanned the dark surroundings before advancing forward.

"So this is where you last saw him?" Kenshi asked.

"Yes. If Onaga is still here in Outworld, he cannot be far." Lord Raiden replied.

"What is our plan of attack?" Kai asked.

"We will attack the Dragon King together as a unit. If we cannot harm him with our physical strikes, then we shall switch to our projectiles."

"All at once?"

"No...Kai, you and I shall attack first, the combination of our fire and lightning should prove to be effective and if that does not work, we will have Sub-Zero and Frost concentrate their powers into freezing Onaga."

"Yes Lord Raiden…" Frost said, before looking up at Sub-Zero. "What do you think of the plan master?"

Kuai Liang did not respond. He continued to walk as his stare and focus seemed like it was miles away.

"Master?" Frost asked again.

Sub-Zero blinked and quickly shook his head. "Forgive me..."

Frosts' demeanour changed. "You were thinking about her, weren't you?"

"About who?"

"Don't give me that. I know exactly what's going through your mind…why can't you just forget about Skarlet?"

"I don't know…" Sub-Zero responded.

"I mean, that crazy woman tried to kill you…"

"Frost please…let it go…"

"No master **you** let it go! **Let Skarlet go!**"

"Calm down girl, were here to fight together, not against each other…" Kai interrupted.

"Can-it, Monk…this doesn't concern you…" Frost fired back.

Kai turned to Sub-Zero. "Man you gunna let this student of yours act all crazy on you like that?"

The Cryomancer did not respond. He kept silent and continued walking. Just then the entire crew all heard the mighty roar of the Dragon King.

* * *

**Skarlet**

* * *

_My whole world was ripped away in an instant. That blasted sorcerer Quan Chi took everything from me. He made me do things that I would never have dreamt of doing. It was as if I was his personal puppet. I was reduced to a "servant girl" of his, and he even made me try to kill the man I love. I would never side with him and the unspeakable evil that is building up in the Netherrealm._

_Disturbing images of Ermac touching and torturing me - haunt my mind. It breaks my heart to know that I "Agreed" with Noob Saibot and Smoke to do the one thing I can't even fathom - which is to kill Sub-Zero._

_I swear on my life I will have Quan Chi's head. Even if it takes me an eternity, I promise to slice it off, and bathe in every last drop of his blood. Nobody deserves the hell I have been through._

_Losing my love was more than enough._

_I will get Kuai Liang back. He belongs to me. We belong together. I will claim what is rightfully mine._

_That girl Frost who was with him just doesn't know it yet, but her time is up. Sub-Zero is mine. If she does anything to get in my way again, she will end up tasting my blades as well._

_I need to find Sub-Zero quickly. I have to protect the one I love. Noob Saibot is relentless and won't stop until he completes his goal. _

_I do realize that Sub-Zero is not the man I left, and that he has transformed since the last time we saw each other. I could sense that he has grown in more ways than one; But I still love him, and deep down I know he is still the same person I fell for._

_I need to get back on track, and fight for the forces of good. Quan Chi and anyone else who stands by him is now my enemy…_

* * *

Back in Outworld, Sareena heard the same beastly growl that the Fighters of Earthrealm did. It startled her, and she was sure that whatever made the sound was on it's way back. The Demoness heard a whooshing sound come from overhead, and tilted her head up just in time to see a very large and powerful looking creature with wings, soar through the dark sky. Sareena had wondered if it was the Onaga from the Netherrealm she had heard about.

Whether it was a smart move or not, the Demoness took off in a sprint, and had decided to follow the direction the creature flew in. _Perhaps it may lead me to a way out of here _Sareena thought. She had to take the chance. It sure beat being stranded in Outworld, and anything was better than sticking around or returning to the Netherrealm.

The Demoness saw the large beast swoop down and land far off in the distance. Only a minute later, Sareena was relieved when eruptions of fire and lightning suddenly burst from where the creature was. She was no longer alone, and whoever had come to take the beast on, was surely fighting for the side of good.

Lord Raiden held his arm up upon hearing the Dragon King's primal scream. The assembled team of Earthrealm fighters all stopped and looked up, scanning the dark skies for a sign of their target.

The heartbeats of the warriors began to race, as they anticipated the arrival of a deadly challenge.

"He is here…" Lord Raiden said softly, as he was the first one to spot Onaga.

Sub-Zero's eyes went wide upon seeing the large beast soar in from above them. Frost immediately began to shudder as she finally laid her eyes on the enormous creature. She had never seen anything like it in her life, and suddenly felt all of her confidence slip away in a split second.

Onaga crashed on the ground in front of them and before the Dragon King had a chance to fully stand erect, Lord Raiden had already sounded the charge.

"Kai! _NOW!_" The God of Thunder commanded, as he and the Shaolin Monk opened up their projectile attacks on the large monster.

The combined powers collided with Onaga's massive chest and did nothing but make the Dragon King take a step back.

"FULL POWER!" Lord Raiden shouted, as both he and Kai were both yelling as they unleashed their full concentration and energy into there attacks.

The raging blasts of fire and electricity fought hard against the thick hide of the Dragon King, and the God of Thunder and the Monk gave out as they saw that their projectiles did little except blacken the chest of Onaga.

The Dragon King laughed as he brushed off their attacks and continued to march forward.

"We will take him together…" Sub-Zero quietly began to say to his apprentice, but in an instant the young Cryomancer took off on a furious charge.

"No, I am taking him _**now **_!" Frost shouted, as she blitzed toward The Dragon King.

She planned to use the same move she had used on Brutus, and was going to ice slide in underneath his legs and use a cheap-shot before freezing him.

"FROST NO!" Sub-Zero yelled, as his student's disobedience began to wear on him.

The young Cryomancer slid on a trail of ice to try and get beneath Onaga, but the Dragon King used his giant wings to pop-up into the air, before kicking Frost into unconsciousness. Her lifeless body was knocked back, flying through the air and right into the arms of her master.

The remaining fighters launched an all-out-attack on the giant beast, and were each swatted away like flies. Kai flew in first with a jump kick, only to be knocked back by a large backhand.

Kenshi stormed in to try and slash away at the Dragon King, but was met with a powerful tail-swipe which sent the Blind Swordsman skidding on the ground.

Li Mei was next, as she attempted a flipping heel kick, only to have her leg caught, and be whipped overhead and tossed a few meters away.

Lord Raiden charged in like a torpedo, and was stopped by a crushing kick to the face, courtesy of Onaga.

All of the Earthrealm Fighters were down except for Sub-Zero, who held an unconscious Frost in his arms. Kuai Liang laid his apprentice down on the ground, and took a fighting stance.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster knew he had a slim to nil chance of surviving against the Dragon King, but was going to give him all of his hell nonetheless.

Sareena made it to the scene just in time to see the younger Sub-Zero, take on a large and powerful enemy… alone.

"Kuai Liang!" The Demoness said aloud, catching Sub-Zero's attention.

The Cryomancer's eyes went wide upon seeing an old friend of his brother Bi-Han.

"Sareena?!" He called out, distracted by the sultry warrior even as Onaga took an earth-shaking step towards him.

Sareena then pulled out her large serrated blade, and launched it at The Dragon King with all of her might.

The Demoness knew her weapon had no chance of harming the large creature, but if she could at least distract it, it might buy Sub-Zero enough time to mount an effective attack.

The thick sword found it's target, and bounced off the back of Onaga's large head.

_**PING!**_

The distraction worked perfectly, as The Dragon King stopped his advance, turning slowly around to face his attacker. _Oh shit._

Onaga spread his wings out, and used them to pop-up a few feet into the air, preparing to shoot towards the sexy warrior.

Lord Raiden managed to lift his head up, and saw the golden opportunity.

"Sub-Zero! NOW! Freeze him with everything you have!" The Thunder God screamed.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster channelled as much power and concentration in between his palms, and formed an orb of blue light and energy.

The flashing projectile grew larger and more intense, as it pulsed with a strobe-like effect. The Dragon Medallion on his chest began to glow blue, enhancing the power of its owner.

Sub-Zero launched the concentrated beam of ice towards Onaga, who had his back turned to the Lin Kuei assassin.

The blast of ice crashed into The Dragon King's back, and immediately began to crawl over the large creatures body, struggling to contain and keep him still.

Onaga fought against the freezing current and forced his wings to flap, shattering the ice that was quickly forming all over his skin.

Sub-Zero did not even hear himself yell, as he continued to force more energy and power into his attack.

The Dragon King was now hovering lower to the ground, the ice blast seemingly affecting his ability to fly.

* * *

**With Skarlet now free of Quan Chi's mind control, things will definitely heat up between her and Frost.**

_**~And~**_

**With Sareena entering the picture, who knows what will happen next?**

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for taking the time to read. Remember, your suggestions, feedback, and reviews are most welcome and what keeps me motivated to continue writing. Thank you to all my story followers for being patient and for putting up with all of my cliff-hanger endings.

I truly hope you are satisfied with this chapter as I did my best not to disappoint.

-I thought I would "tease" a little bit with the Skarlet vs. Frost confrontation before the mega-epic catfight happens (This is only the beginning!)

-Sareena is absolutely going to stir things up.

-I have not forgotten about the other characters in this story, and will be sure to include them in future chapters soon. ( Taven, Lord Shinnok, Quan Chi, Scorpion, Ermac. etc…)


	11. Chapter 11 Frozen

**CHAPTER XI**

* * *

Onaga crashed to the ground as the steady stream of ice began to freeze the large beast.

Sub-Zero continued to push his relentless attack and concentrated hard on slowing the Dragon King down. _If I let up on my energy, Onaga will break free and end up destroying us all. _

"Sub-Zero needs help! Do your best to wake Frost and have her assist him!" Lord Raiden shouted at Kai.

The Monk ran over to the unconscious warrior, helping her up and doing his best to rouse her.

Sareena watched in horror as Onaga managed to make it to his feet and march forward. Any movement the Dragon King made cracked and shattered the ice trying to form around his massive body. There was nothing the Demoness could do to help. She would only end up getting in Sub-Zero's way if she intervened.

Frost began to stir as she felt Kai's strong arms support and gently shake her.

"_Come on girl…you gotta wake up!_"

The young Cryomancer could barely hear the words being spoken to her. She had a massive headache and was extremely dizzy. Frost felt like she had been hit by a truck.

"_I know your hurt, but_ _we need you girl…we need you to help…NOW!_"

Frost could hear the urgency and desperation in Kai's voice, but felt incredibly weak. She managed to tilt her head and see what was happening. It was her master Sub-Zero, locked in an intense battle to freeze Onaga, who was able to stave off being frozen through the sheer strength of his massive, powerful body.

Kuai Liang only needed a slight edge to get the job done and Frost was the only fighter capable of giving him that. The young Cryomancer knew what she needed to do, but her body would not cooperate. Frost grimaced in pain as she struggled to move and Kai saw that as an opportunity to finally help her up.

"That's it girl…I got you…"

The young Cryomancer fought hard to keep her balance, and managed to dig deep within herself to gather what energy she had left.

Frost began to form an ice beam and felt like the only life force that remained in her body had left it. She channelled her reserves and charged-up her attack, preparing to unleash it towards Onaga. Sub-Zero looked up and saw that his student had rejoined the fight. The Lin Kuei Grandmaster knew Frost was in bad shape and was probably going to give her attack everything she had. It would put her health at risk and in danger, but there was no other choice. If Sub-Zero and Frost did not end up freezing Onaga now, then the Earthrealm fighters would surely die.

"FROST, **NOW**!" Sub-Zero commanded.

_Here goes nothing…_Frost said to herself, as she unleashed a mighty beam of ice, yelling as she launched everything she had into the attack.

A ball of furious blue light blasted towards Onaga and slammed into him, immediately freezing the Dragon King dead in his tracks as it had combined with the steady stream of ice emanating from Sub-Zero.

"**RRRRRRAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!-" **The powerful beast began to roar but was cut-off, as it was frozen solid in a block of ice.

Sub-Zero let up on his attack and Frost collapsed from exhaustion. She was out cold. Kuai Liang ran over to check up on his student as the others gathered around as quick as they could. The Lin Kuei Grandmaster picked up the young Cryomancer up off the ground and held her in his arms.

Raiden put a hand to Frost's forehead.

"She will be fine."

Relieved, Sub-Zero nodded in response. Sareena ran up and joined the group.

Unfamiliar with the mysterious woman, several of the Earthrealm fighters tensed themselves for a fight.

"Wait, do not attack her…she is not a threat…" Sub-Zero said, while holding up his hand.

"What do you mean?" Kenshi replied.

"Her name is Sareena. She had assisted my brother many years ago, and he would not have escaped the confines of the Netherrealm if it were not for her. I owe her…"

"You forget to mention that I had distracted that beast long enough for you to attack him." The Demoness said with a smile.

"Regardless she cannot be trusted. This woman may be working undercover for Quan Chi and the Forces of Darkne-"

Sareena cut Lord Raiden off. "I have escaped the Netherrealm and I am no longer aligned with Shinnok's legion. I have gone rogue for…my own personal reasons…"

The Demoness held back the truth. What Sareena could not tell the others was that she had left the Netherrealm to hunt Skarlet down. She wanted to have the sleek assassin's head, but the Demoness wasn't so sure that Kuai Liang or the other Earthrealm fighters would agree. She had to tell Sub-Zero about Skarlet's plan.

"I offer Sareena asylum within the Lin Kuei for her assistance…I take full responsibility for her actions. We may need her help again in the future." Sub-Zero said to Raiden before Sareena could even speak.

She was genuinely shocked and surprised at The Lin Kuei Grandmaster's offer as much everybody else was.

Lord Raiden hesitated and rubbed his chin as he considered Sub-Zero's proposal. At this point, the Forces of Earthrealm needed all the help they could get.

"Very well. She may join us if that is her wish…" The Thunder God replied.

Sareena could not help but smile at her salvation. "I accept."

* * *

Back in Earthrealm, Skarlet waited anxiously for Sub-Zero and the Forces of Light to return. The Tracker fidgeted as she sat on the Cathedral bench. She hoped and wished that they would all make it back unharmed, but more importantly she needed to reconnect with her loved one. Skarlet didn't know what was going through Kuai Liang's head, and she desperately needed to talk to him. She realized things were not the same, but she had to do anything and everything she could to get him back. Skarlet was not losing Sub-Zero without a fight.

"You need to calm down girl..." Johnny Cage said, his arms crossed and staring at the nervous wreck. Her fidgeting had caught his attention.

"Sorry, I just…hope that everyone's okay…" Skarlet replied.

"I'm sure Sub-Zero and the others are fine. Don't worry they will all be back soon." Sonya Blade said, as she could tell that the Tracker was really more concerned about seeing Kuai Liang again. If her and Johnny were in Sub-Zero and Skarlet's position, she would've acted the same way. Sonya completely understood what the young assassin was going through.

"Who was that girl Kuai was with? That young one in blue that I had nearly introduced to the sharp end of my blades? She had the same look and powers as he did…Are they related?" Skarlet asked.

"I don't believe they are related and I don't know how they have similar powers, but I think she is some sort of a student to Sub-Zero." Sonya Blade replied.

"Don't worry Skar, you're a lot hotter than she is and I'm pretty sure Subby will no doubt dump that 'Ice Chick' and hook back up with you again…" Johnny quipped.

Skarlet ignored Mr Cage's remark as Sonya rolled her eyes.

"Why would Kuai have a student?" she asked the Lieutenant.

"A lot has changed since you and Sub-Zero have gone your separate ways. I believe he returned to his clan in China and is now leading the group. Frost is a new member who now trains under his teachings."

The stealthy assassin slowly shook head as if to piece things together in her mind and make sense with all that has happened. None of the past events would have been a blur to her if it were not for Quan Chi's sorcery. Skarlet was definitely going to make him pay for what he did to her. She also remembered that Noob Saibot and Smoke were on the hunt for Sub-Zero. They had escaped the battle in the Cathedral but would no doubt be back to get there hands on Kuai Liang.

Skarlet stood up.

"I have to locate Noob and Smoke. They plan to assassinate Kuai and will stop at nothing to accomplish their goal. They will try to kill him by any means necessary. I need to stop them."

The Tracker began to make her way to the exit when Sonya stood in her way.

"Skarlet wait. You need to stay here. We should stick together and wait for the others. Besides, Sub-Zero is with Lord Raiden I'm sure he will be fine."

"I need to intercept Noob-Smoke before they can make a move. Those two are deadly and do not care if they die as long as they kill Kuai..."

"You don't just go off and take those two on alone. We will be stronger if we stick together. They will all return soon and then we can make our next move."

"She's right. Besides, we just got ya back girl…we don't want to lose you again." Johnny added.

Skarlet sighed and nodded. She felt so useless just sitting around doing nothing and desperately wanted to reunite with Sub-Zero to make things right again. She also wanted to be there to protect him should Noob Saibot and Smoke show up.

* * *

In Outworld the group of Earthrealm fighters all stood and stared at the massive block of ice that firmly held Onaga.

"The Dragon King will not be going anywhere anytime soon…" Sub-Zero stated, still holding an unconscious Frost in his arms.

Lord Raiden turned to him.

"Excellent work Sub-Zero. Now, let us all return back to Earthrealm." he said to the others.

The Thunder God held an arm up to the sky and was about to teleport them all away in a flash of blue light when Kuai Liang made his request.

"If I may Lord Raiden…"

"What is it Sub-Zero?"

"I ask that you teleport Sareena, Frost, and I back to the Lin Kuei temple in Arctika. I must return to my clan and my apprentice needs to rest until she has recovered. Then when she has fully healed, we shall rejoin you."

"Very well, I shall teleport you and your clan mates to the Lin Kuei temple, and return to the Cathedral in Earthrealm to reunite with the others."

"Thank you Lord Raiden."

And with that, the fighters all vanished in a flash of blue light, back to Earthrealm.

* * *

The crackle of thunder and lightning caught everyone's attention. Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, Fujin, Bo Rai Cho, and Skarlet all stood up and stared as the others had returned.

Skarlet's heart began to beat rapidly as she felt nervous, excited, and anxious all at the same time. Seeing Sub-Zero for the first time since she had been freed from Quan Chi's mind control was a huge moment for her.

Lord Raiden, Kai, Kenshi, and Li Mei all stepped out of the blue light. Skarlet's heart sank as she saw the portal disappear without a single sign of Sub-Zero. _Oh no. _Something must have terribly gone wrong for him to not return with the others. Skarlet immediately feared the worst had happened and was in full panic mode. She began to breathe heavy, rapidly, and deeply.

The others all greeted each other as Skarlet rushed towards Raiden.

"Where is…where is Sub-Zero?" she asked desperately.

"Skarlet…it is good to see you have broke free from Quan Chi's sorcery."

The Tracker grabbed the Thunder God's uniform and pulled him closer to her.

"**Sub-Zero**…" Skarlet said, her tone much more serious and borderline psychotic. It was enough to catch the others' attention.

"Do not worry young one. He is fine. He requested that I transport him and his clan mates back to the Lin Kuei temple in Articka."

Skarlet sighed with relief, but began to worry again at a sudden realization. She was a hundred percent positive and so sure of it. Skarlet remembered that while she was still under the mind control and working with Noob-Smoke spying on the Forces of Earthrealm, they had overheard Sub-Zero say something about residing with his clan in Arctika. The duo wouldn't dare return to attack in the same place twice.

"Oh no…Noob Saibot and Smoke are going to try and kill Sub-Zero over there!"

* * *

Sareena pushed the large doors open to the Lin Kuei temple entrance as Sub-Zero walked through holding Frost in his arms. The Demoness followed him in and marvelled at the large building.

It was vast and holy looking.

"Wow…" she whispered.

"Impressive isn't it?" Sub-Zero said, setting Frost down on a concrete island. The young Cryomancer was still out cold. He found the temple to be oddly quiet and there were no signs of life or his fellow clan mates anywhere.

"Yeah…so… how is she…?" Sareena asked.

"She will be fine. All she needs is some rest."

"I meant, _how is she really_?"

Sub-Zero turned to look at his unconscious apprentice and sighed. While Frost was a strong fighter and quick learner, she lacked discipline and humility.

"Frost is good student but a proud and stubborn one. She has a lot of work ahead of her as well as I do…"

Sareena smiled a flirty smile. She was very observant. From what she has seen so far and what Kuai Liang has told her, she could tell that Kuai Liang was a very good master. Wise, confident, and powerful…yet humble.

"I'm sure you teach her well." the Demoness said as she walked slowly and up close to Sub-Zero.

"I will teach her all I know in due time…" he replied.

"And me?" Sareena asked softly as her face was suddenly very close to his.

The Demoness felt like she already knew Kuai Liang well as he was very similar to Bi Han. Sareena felt comfortable being around Sub-Zero as she was also very attracted to him.

Sub-Zero stiffened up.

"I consider you now a member of the clan and are welcome to its teachings…"

"Is that all…?"

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster cleared his throat.

"Please, tell me more of your past encounter with my brother Bi-Han."

Sareena blinked, and looked down. She looked back up into Sub-Zero's blue eyes and smiled. She opened her mouth to say something when they heard a scream come form the other hall. It sounded like a clan member.

Sub-Zero and Sareena rushed towards the main hall. The two turned the corner and stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of the horror that waited for them.

At their feet lay dozens of massacred Lin Kuei members at the hands of the Noob-Smoke alliance.

"Welcome home brother." Noob Saibot said, as he held out his hands which were covered in blood.

* * *

**Sub-Zero adds a new member to his clan only to find out that the rest had been slaughtered by his brother and former ally. **

**Will Skarlet come to Sub-Zero's aid?**


	12. Chapter 12 Rescue

**CHAPTER XII**

* * *

"Bi-Han! _What have you done?!_"

Sareena spoke first as Sub-Zero remained in shock - still staring at the pile of lifeless bodies that belonged to his fallen clan members.

"Silence woman. This does not concern you…However, should you choose to interfere in our affairs, then you will die along with him…" Noob Saibot gestured toward his younger brother.

"You need help, Bi Han. How could you possibly do this to your own family?" Sareena asked.

"Do not address me by that name!" The Wraith spat.

Sub-Zero finally spoke. "He's right…my brother, Bi Han is dead…" his words sifting through clenched teeth.

Noob Saibot smiled behind his mask. "Come brother…let us finish what we started."

Smoke - who stood at Noob's side - took a fighting stance. It seemed like the showdown would be a tag-team battle. Sub-Zero shot his eyes over at his former ally. There was no way he was going to let Sareena get involved with this. Although he probably did not stand a chance taking Noob-Smoke alone, Kuai Liang was not about to leave Frost unconscious in the other hall and risk Sareena's life at the same time. Too many of his clan mates had fallen today.

"Sareena, I want you to leave us and watch over Frost in the other chamber..." he ordered.

"No way, there is no way I'm going -" The Demoness began to argue.

"**Please listen to me! There is no way I can fight to my full potential if I'm worried about your safety! You will only get in my way! NOW GO!" **Sub-Zero shot, his words were urgent and sharp.

"Absolutely not. It's far too dangerous to be taking them on alone."

Sub-Zero gave her a hard look. "I won't ask you again…" he said firmly.

Sareena slumped her shoulders and sighed. "Alright…just promise me you'll survive. You have to make it. Don't die on me!"

Sub-Zero kept his eyes trained on Noob-Smoke. "Go." he said softly.

And with that, Sareena turned and left the hall, silently wishing hard for Kuai Liang's safety.

Sub-Zero had come along way since the last time he fought Noob Saibot in the cemetery, however this time Bi Han wasn't alone. The Lin Kuei Grandmaster would also be facing off against former ally and best friend, Smoke.

"You have made me very happy…" Noob Saibot said, as he had finally gotten what he wanted.

"You are not worthy of the name Sub-Zero. Now prepare for your demise, Tundra!" Smoke barked.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this, Smoke. But true Lin Kuei warriors would never turn their backs on one another..." Kuai Liang replied.

"True. That is why we are here to serve justice. You have made a mockery of the Lin Kuei! You're brother and I have come to reclaim the clan!"

"I promise you both…that **this fight will be your last!" **Sub-Zero yelled, as he charged Noob-Smoke.

Smoke vanished quickly in a cloud of dust, cutting Kuai Liang off by reappearing in front of the Cryomancer and meeting him with an elbow to the sternum.

The move sent Sub-Zero stumbling back, while Noob Saibot followed up with a flying kick which knocked Kuai Liang off his feet.

Sub-Zero crashed landed on his back, and barely had time to recover as Smoke was already in the air, trying to crash down on him with a fist. The Lin Kuei Grandmaster rolled to his side to avoid the attack and manoeuvred into a crouch postion, only to be met by a crushing knee to the chin from his brother.

Sub-Zero responded by blocking the following chops, punches and kicks thrown by Noob.

Smoke dove in from behind and crushed Kuai Liang's spine with another elbow, giving Noob Saibot the opportunity to connect with a devastating kick to the mid-section.

Sub-Zero folded over from the hit and Smoke continued the assault by wrapping his arms around the Grandmaster's waist, and suplexing him backwards to crumple his head and neck.

* * *

Back at the Catherdral, Skarlet begged and pleaded with Raiden.

"Please Lord Raiden, you have to listen to me! Sub-Zero will need our help! We must go to him!"

"I understand your concern for Sub-Zero. However, I am confident that his safety is not in any danger. He is now in the company of his clan and is well protected." The Thunder God replied.

Skarlet wasn't buying it. She knew Noob Saibot and Smoke were much more cunning than Raiden made them out to be and was positive they had a deadly plan in place. The duo would surely find away to work around the Lin Kuei, and ambushing Sub-Zero when the time was right.

"Fine. If none of you will help him then I will! All I ask is that you take me to the Lin Kuei Palace."

Lord Raiden still refused.

"Skarlet, NO! You have only just returned to us. We need as many warriors as we can gather to combat Shinnok's legion. The Forces of Light need all members present and ready for battle. And besides, Sub-Zero has stated that he will rejoin us once his apprentice has healed."

Skarlet shook her head. "Noob Saibot and Smoke will surely find a way to kill him before he gets here…"

"Enough. Sub-Zero's abilities have grown, he has full support of his clan, and his apprentice is strong. I am confident Sub-Zero will be safe. I do not sense any harm approaching him. Maybe your feelings betray you. Perhaps Smoke and Noob Saibot have returned to the Netherrealm to regroup."

"You are being naïve to assume all is well for him. I know how those two work! They are ruthless and will stop at nothing to achieve their goal! Noob Saibot and Smoke even fought off Scorpion and Ermac to save Sareena and I, just so I could help them find him!"

Kenshi spoke up. "Sareena? That Demon-girl we encountered in Outworld?"

Skarlet looked surprised.

"You know her?"

"Yes. She helped us take Onaga down…Apparently her and Sub-Zero know each other. He offered her a place in his clan for helping his brother in the past. Sareena is now at the Lin Kuei Palace with him."

Skarlet's heart sank.

"No…" she whispered.

"That's a good thing…" Kenshi replied. "If Noob Saibot and Smoke do attempt to attack Sub-Zero, Sareena is also there to help him."

A flurry of mixed emotions rushed the young assassin. While she was relieved that her loved one had more protection and security, she wasn't so sure about how she felt with Sareena being close to Kuai Liang. Skarlet definitely needed to be there. She thought about her options for a bit and took a deep breath. She looked up at Lord Raiden.

"I am still going to be there for Sub-Zero regardless… and I will do this with or without your help, but without your help will take me even longer…"

* * *

The battle continued to wage on at the Lin Kuei Palace. Sub-Zero barely had time to writhe in pain from Smoke's attack before he had to quickly recover. The deadly duo pushed their attack and Kuai Liang responded by forming an ice clone and jumping backwards out of it.

Noob-Smoke crashed into the clone the duo immediately froze upon contact.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster dove into the air and smashed Smoke out of his frozen shell with a powerful right cross and kicked Noob Saibot out of his, shattering ice everywhere.

The two warriors were sent rolling backwards on the floor.

Smoke recovered first and blitzed towards Sub-Zero, only for him to be met with a spinning-back-fist which sent the Enenra to the ground.

Noob Saibot shot a shadow clone out from his body to try and tackle Kuai Liang, but the Lin Kuei Grandmaster leapt over it and jumped kicked the Wraith, sending Noob meters away.

Upon landing on the ground, Sub-Zero quickly spun around and shot an ice beam at the shadow clone and froze it solid in a block of ice.

Smoke charged in and started a scuffle with his former ally. Sub-Zero got the better of the exchange as he knocked the Enenra back.

Noob Saibot came out of nowhere and threw a powerful right hook that his brother easily avoided by ducking and following up with a devastating uppercut. The Wraith sailed backwards through the air and landed in a heap next to Smoke.

Sub-Zero stood his ground as the duo recovered and regrouped.

* * *

Sareena felt helpless as she could hear the commotion from the other palace chamber. The Demoness definitely did not like playing babysitter to an unconscious Frost while Sub-Zero was risking his life to protect them. Although Sareena didn't agree with the situation, she wasn't about to disobey her first orders as a new member of the Lin Kuei.

"Mmmm" Frost murmured, as she began to stir catching Sareena's attention. _It's about time the little princess woke up from her nap._

The young Cryomancer groggily opened her eyes and saw a strange woman dressed in a revealing outfit staring at her.

"Who the hell are you?" Frost said, her eyes going from half-open, to wide, to sharp and intense, all in an instant. She quickly shot up to face the stranger.

Sareena was quickly introduced to Frost's attitude. "Well it's nice to meet you too…"

"Answer my question. Who are you and _what are you doing here?_"

Sareena held up her hands. "You might wanna relax, _princess_…If I were here to hurt you, I would've done so already. Sub-Zero told me to keep an eye on you."

Frost gave a confused look. "Where is he?"

The moment she asked the question, both her and Sareena heard the battle cries coming from somewhere within the palace chambers. Frost recognized the tone. It was no doubt her master's.

"Sub-Zero!" Frost yelled. "I must go help him!"

She began to run towards the other hall. Sareena quickly stepped in front of her.

"No! We must stay here! Sub-Zero does not want us to interfere. We will only get in his way."

Frost shoved the Demoness to the side. "Get away from me, you crazy woman. I still don't know what you are doing here, but I'm going to help _my master _whether you like it or not!"

Sareena dug deep into her well of patience as she had to control herself from slapping the young ingrate all the way to the Netherrealm. She reached out and quickly grabbed one of Frost's wrists.

"Hold on, wait. Don't you think that is what I wanted to do and where I would be right now? I want to help Sub-Zero too, but he gave me strict orders to stay here and keep you safe."

Frost still did not know who this mystery woman is or what her relationship to her master was, but if she somehow or someway got in between her and Sub-Zero, it could potentially complicate her goal of obtaining the Dragon Medallion. Frost wasn't about to let that happen. Sub-Zero and the Dragon Medallion belonged to her.

"Since when did you start following my master's orders? This is Lin Kuei business woman, I strongly suggest you leave, before I help you leave…"

Sareena was repulsed. "Look, I can understand that you might be a little confused right now, but like it or not, I am here to stay. I was granted sanctuary within the Lin Kuei by the Grandmaster himself. And I pledge my loyalty to the clan."

Frost felt a wave of disgust wash over her, as this tramp had somehow managed to manipulate her way into the sacred group she so cared about. How could this strange woman from out of nowhere, all of a sudden just turn up and be admitted entry into one of the most powerful clans in Earthrealm?

The young Cryomancer worked hard and fought her way up the ranks, clawing, and hacking through to be at the Grandmaster's side. Frost didn't care what past Sub-Zero shared with this woman, but being inducted into the Lin Kuei was an honour that was earned.

"And who are you exactly, to be given this privilege?"

"My name is Sareena. I assisted Kuai Liang's brother, Bi-Han, the original Sub-Zero many years ago. In return, Kuai Liang offered me a place within the Lin Kuei."

"Such a simple gesture is not valid enough for entry into this sacred clan."

"That is not for you to deicide…_princess_."

* * *

Noob-Smoke had regained the upper hand in the battle with Sub-Zero, as the Cryomancer was outnumbered.

Smoke held the Lin Kuei Grandmaster in a full-nelson grip, while Noob Saibot teed off with hard punches on his younger brother.

The two warriors treated Sub-Zero like a punching bag, who was already severely weakened from exerting his energy by freezing Onaga. He had little energy left in his tank to battle the deadly duo.

Blood dripped through Kuai Liang's mask, as the crushing blows continued to tenderize his body. The Wraith halted his attack to cock a fist back, winding up to deliver the final blow.

"Destroy him now…" Smoke stated, as he held the Cryomancer firm.

"It's time to finish this, brother… I have been waiting an eternity for this moment. And I must say, it was well worth it…" Noob Saibot said, as a ghastly smile formed behind his mask.

Noob made the move to execute Sub-Zero, when out of nowhere a mysterious figure leaped in and jump-kicked the Wraith, sending him crashing to the floor many meters away. The force was so strong that it was unlike anything Noob Saibot had ever felt before.

The warrior looked extremely powerful and was wearing a black and gold outfit. He had short brown hair and the mark of a dragon on the right side of his face.

Smoke stared at the figure with a bewildered look, before dropping Sub-Zero to the ground. The Enenra charged the mysterious warrior - who moved as quickly as he did - and shot him back with a mighty fist to the chest. Smoke felt his ribs crack as he sailed backwards and crashed against a temple wall.

Sub-Zero looked up at his saviour, wondering who he was and how he managed to infiltrate the Lin Kuei Temple. The question of whether or not this new warrior was a friend or a foe, had already been answered. However, Kuai Liang still had many questions to ask - which he would do - once they had dispatched their opponents.

Noob Saibot struggled to get to his feet as his partner Smoke did the same. The mysterious warrior and Sub-Zero exchanged a look before facing the deadly duo and taking a fighting stance.

The battle was now even at two-on-two, as Taven had arrived.

* * *

**The Half-God Taven has made his way to the Lin Kuei temple, but who is he? And what business does he have there?**

**Meanwhile Skarlet is desperate to come to Sub-Zero's aid and will stop at nothing to be at his side once more.**


	13. Chapter 13 He's mine

**CHAPTER XIII**

Lord Raiden sighed as he had given in to Skarlet's desperate plea.

"Alright, I shall teleport you to the Lin Kuei Temple. Once there, you may warn Sub-Zero of his brother's intentions and stay with him if you must. Once Sub-Zero and his clan mates are ready, tell them to rendezvous with the rest of us back here."

Skarlet nodded. "Yes, Lord Raiden." she said eagerly, as she could not wait to be reunited with Kuai Liang.

The stealthy assassin didn't know what Sub-Zero's reaction would be to seeing her, and if anyone - namely Frost - stood in her way, there would be hell to pay.

"And do not cause trouble…" The Thunder God added, knowing full well the history and drama between Sub-Zero's choice of company.

"I cannot promise you that…" Skarlet said, with a devilish smile. If either Sareena or Frost had anything to say about her being there, there was definitely going to be some fireworks at the Lin Kuei Palace.

The Thunder God subtly shook his head with a half-smile before raising an arm to the sky.

"Good luck Skarlet, go get em' girl…" Sonya called out.

Skarlet gave a thumbs up and winked at the Lieutenant, before disappearing with Lord Raiden in a flash of lightning.

* * *

Back at the Lin Kuei temple, things were heating up between Sareena and Frost.

"Get out of my way!" The young Cryomancer barked, as the Demoness stood in front of her, cutting off the path to the other palace hall.

"I am not allowing you to do anything to jeopardize Sub-Zero's safety." Sareena shot back.

"I'm not trying to jeopardize his safety, you dumb witch! I AM TRYING TO HELP HIM!"

"That's exactly what I wanted to do! But Sub-Zero gave me strict orders not to get in his way! Think about it, imagine what he would say to me if I let you go and something were to happen to you…not that I personally care about your well being."

Frost clenched a fist that began to emanate a cold mist.

"Fine…If you won't move out of my way, I will just have to freeze you were you stand."

"Try it, and see what I'll do to you…" Sareena dared, glaring her eyes at the young warrior.

* * *

On the other side of the Lin Kuei Palace, Sub-Zero and Taven continued to square-off against Noob Saibot and Smoke.

Kuai Liang engaged his brother Bi Han, while the Half-God Taven, took on the Enenra.

Sub-Zero and Noob Saibot exchanged a flurry of punches, kicks, chops, and blocks. The two brothers were evenly matched and were both very familiar with each other's moves.

Smoke however, had his hands full against Taven as he was unfamiliar with the newcomer's capabilities. _This mysterious warrior will be no match for my superior speed. _The Enenra thought, as he blitzed towards the Half-God.

Taven used his own God-like speed and instantly dashed to meet Smoke, and connected with three lightning fast punches. The Enenra was stunned by his explosive power and stumbled back, using much effort to stay standing. Smoke responded by increasing his speed even more to try and out-gun the newcomer.

Taven stood his ground as Smoke dove in and attempted a powerful chop to the neck. The Half-God caught the Enenra's arm with no effort at all, before smashing him in the face with a flaming right hand.

Smoke's head whipped to the side from the impact, and simultaneously felt his knees buckle. Taven followed up by delivering a powerful knee-to-the-gut and sent the Enenra meters away.

Noob Saibot was having better luck as he had gained the upper hand on an already weakened Sub-Zero. Bi Han out-boxed his younger brother and tagged Kuai Liang with devastating right and left hooks.

Noob Saibot shot a shadow clone from his body which tackled Sub-Zero to the ground. Bi Han followed up by pinning his brother down and pummelling him.

"You lose, little brother!" The Wraith spat, as he rained down punches. Vengeance was his.

Sub-Zero dug deep within himself and managed to kick Noob Saibot off of him. Kuai Liang kicked up on to his feet and recovered into a fighting stance.

Bi Han shot a dark portal into the air to try and have it land on his younger brother, but Sub-Zero back flipped out of the way and shot an ice beam in return.

Noob Saibot barely managed to avoid being frozen as he ducked the attack, and saw that his brother was following up with an ice slide. The Wraith shot-out a shadow clone to counter Sub-Zero with a slide kick of it's own.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster was knocked back to the ground.

* * *

A flash of blue lightning crackled outside the Lin Kuei Temple as Lord Raiden and Skarlet stepped out of it.

A wave of freezing air immediately wrapped itself around the young Tracker, as her revealing outfit was no match for the cold environment of the Arctika. Goosebumps popped up all over Skarlet's body as she shivered and instinctively hugged herself with her arms. It did not help one bit.

"Alright, do what you must and be quick in gathering Sub-Zero and his clan. I fear that the Forces of Darkness will be ready to launch their all-out assault on Edenia soon. We must be ready to meet them. I will return shortly."

"Y-y-y-ye-s-ss, L-L-Lord Raiden." Skarlet managed to say through chattering teeth.

The Thunder God nodded once before shooting an arm up and teleporting away in a fury of light. And with that, Skarlet was left alone in front of the large palace.

The sleek assassin seemed to settle from her shivering as she gazed at the enormous structure. _Boy, Kuai has definitely moved-up in this world _she thought.

Skarlet trudged her way toward the front gates, while tucking her head down and keeping her arms wrapped around herself.

Noob Saibot placed Sub-Zero in a standing rear choke hold and squeezed with all of his might. The Wraith could almost taste his victory as the moment he craved for had finally come. Noob Saibot was finally going to exact revenge and kill Sub-Zero.

Kuai Liang choked, as air was being prevented from entering his lungs. His pathetic attempts to try and pry his brother's arm free from his throat were useless. Things started to go dark for the Cryomancer as he nothing left. This was it. Sub-Zero was going to die at the hands of the man he used to call 'brother.'

As he faded into darkness, Sub-Zero began to see an image of Skarlet. It was similar to the moment of when he first fought Bi Han back at the cemetery only this time, Kuai Linag knew he would not be able to muscle his way out and escape death again. It was more of an acceptance.

After all the fighting and war, Sub-Zero finally felt at peace. Whether it was a hallucination or something more powerful than that, the image of Skarlet that Kuai Liang saw was so impossibly beautiful that there could not have been a more perfect time to leave Earthrealm. Sub-Zero gave into the darkness and felt his eyes close one last time.

* * *

Outside the doors to the Lin Kuei Palace, Skarlet suddenly felt a powerful, sinking feeling in her chest that almost made her lose her balance. Although she couldn't explain it, she felt that something was terribly wrong. Her heart began to pound and she knew she had to get to Sub-Zero right away. She burst through the doors of the large temple and rushed inside.

* * *

Sareena and Frost were face-to-face in a tense stand-off, and any sudden movement made by either of them would trigger a fight.

The front entrance doors to the palace opened, both of them turning their heads to see Skarlet step in.

"Skarlet!?" Sareena called out.

"**YOU. What the hell are you doing here**!" Frost asked, as she began to stomp towards the sleek assassin.

_Oh great. _Skarlet wasn't exactly hoping that she would see Frost and Sareena first, but she already knew she would have to deal with them at some point.

The Tracker held up her hands to try and halt the oncoming Cyromancer.

"Just hold on, I am not here to attack anyone. I only came for Sub-Zero. He is in grav-"

Before Skarlet could even finish, Frost shot a beam of ice toward her, causing her to leap over and avoid being frozen.

The Tracker landed behind the young Cryomancer and held her palms out again.

"I SAID HOLD ON! I am not under mind control anymore! I am here to warn Sub-Zero! I must see him!"

"Over my dead body. Sub-Zero doesn't need you. He doesn't need either of you…" Frost said, gesturing to both Skarlet and Sareena.

"You both, **are going to leave right now**! Only Lin Kuei Clan members may enter here. Do not interfere with our affairs!" she continued.

"I am not here for you or the Lin Kuei. I am here for Sub-Zero. I am going to go see him whether you like it or not. Now where is he?" Skarlet asked.

"Sub-Zero will be fine little girl. He already has enough on his plate. He doesn't need you, or anyone _from his past _here." Sareena shot.

Skarlet glared at her. It was time to get dirty. If that's where these girls wanted to take it, she was going to take it there.

"For **your **information. No, for **both **of your information, Sub-Zero belonged to me before either of you came into the picture!" she declared.

"Oh yeah? And look how that turned out!" Sareena replied.

"It doesn't matter what he had with you in the past…" Frost pointed at Skarlet first, then at Sareena. "…Or what you may have done for him years ago! What matters is what's happenind now. What matters is the present! Both of you tramps are nothing but after thoughts! Sub-Zero is **my **master. Not yours, and definitely **not yours**! Neither of you have any valid reasons for being here. NOW LEAVE!"

"Are you finished? I really don't have time for this. I really need to help Sub-Zero, I fear that something bad will happen." Skarlet said.

"You're too late…He is already fighting Noob Saibot and Smoke in the other chamber. He does not want either of us to interfere!" Sareena explained.

* * *

Smoke was totally outclassed and overwhelmed. Having been resurrected and powered up by Quan Chi's sorcerey, the Enenra was still no match for the Half-God.

Smoke was wobbling on his feet, still trying to find a way or weakness on how to combat his powerful new foe.

Taven watched as the shadowy figure made a pathetic attempt to try swiping him, and it looked more like a drunken dance.

"Time to end this…" the Half-God declared as he powered-up a flaming right hand, and threw a devastating right-cross that landed on Smoke's chin, knocking him out. The Enenra's knees buckled and gave out, as he crumpled to the floor in a heap.

"Take's care of that…" Taven said, as he dusted off his hands.

He looked up to see how the ninja-in-blue was doing - the warrior Taven felt was on the good side of things - and saw that he was unconscious, being held in a standing-rear head-lock.

_Shit. _Taven thought. He assumed the other guy had things in control and didn't even bother to check up on him. The Half-God raced towards the other shadowy figure in black to try and stop him from killing the warrior in blue.

Noob Saibot watched as the mysterious warrior approached him and dropped Sub-Zero's limp body to the ground. The Wraith saw that his brother was still breathing, but barely.

_Hmph. It seems that Kuai Liang is much more resilient than I thought._ _No matter. Once I am done dealing with this new warrior I will finish my job. However, he appears to be very powerful and Smoke has been defeated. Perhaps I could use him…_

Taven slowed down to a walk once he saw that the shadow warrior had dropped the blue ninja down. The Wraith in black spoke.

"You will join me, or **you will die**!" Noob Saibot declared.

_Not much of an offer. _Taven thought. "We shall see."

Bi Han charged the Half-God - who suddenly flew up into the air, before coming down and smashing his fist to the ground, causing a shockwave of fire which slammed into him. The force was so powerful that the impact knocked Noob Saibot unconscious before he even hit the floor.

The Noob-Smoke duo was down and out.

Taven walked over to blue ninja who struggled to get up and helped him. It appeared that he would be okay.

Sub-Zero felt the power of the Dragon Medallion become his life support. Had the artefact not been on him, Kuai Liang surely would have died at the hands of his brother Bi Han. Still, he never felt so close to death in his life and was still recovering.

"I should thank you. You probably saved my life." Sub-Zero said.

Taven looked down at the fallen shadow figure. "Who is he? He doesn't seem…human."

"He is Noob Saibot. A warrior from the Netherrealm. He is my brother."

"Your brother? Why did he try to kill you?"

"He was corrupted long ago. But now I have the chance to save him. The Lin Kuei owe you much."

"The Lin Kuei?"

"I am Sub-Zero. Grand Master of the Lin Kuei which is the clan that resides here...Who are you? And why are you here?"

"This temple was a shrine to my mother…before your clan commandeered it."

"I assure you it had been abandoned long before we arrived."

"I realize that. My name is Taven. I merely came here to retrieve something. A gift from my mother."

"And you believe that gift is here?"

"Yes."

Sub-Zero noticed that the mark on Taven's face matched the symbol on the temple door behind him. "Your tattoo!"

"What about it?"

"It resembles the dragon image on the door behind you."

Taven turned around and saw what he was looking for. "This must be it…"

"You're gift?" Sub-Zero asked.

"Yes. Most likely behind this vault door."

"The door on the right was unlocked when we first arrived. There was nothing inside. The other door has remained sealed, despite our best efforts to open it."

"It seems my brother has already been here to retrieve his gift. Strange…That would mean he's been awake for quite sometime."

"I assume you have a key…"

"You could say that." Taven said, as he held up his left palm. He then placed his palm on a circle emblem on the door which then caused red glowing symbols to emerge from it. The door then opened.

* * *

Skarlet's jaw dropped as Sareena had confirmed her worst fear. "I have to go help him!" she shouted as she made the move to bolt towards the other chamber.

"No! he wants us to stay here!" Sareena commanded. "You will only get in his way!"

"Excuse me? What kind of foolishness is that? I am not listening to you!" Skarlet replied. Nothing was going to stop her from keeping her love safe. She started to run when Sareena tackled her to the ground and pinned her.

" I will not let you do anything to comprise Sub-Zero's safety!" she yelled.

"Get off me, witch!" Skarlet screamed, as she kicked the Demoness off of her. Sareena rolled up on to her feet and backed up, bumping into Frost - who then violently shoved her away.

"Watch where you're going!"

"What the hell is your problem!?" Sareena growled.

"Right now, **both of you are.**" Frost grumbled. "It's time for you two to leave…like ten minutes ago."

Skarlet had fought tooth and nail to get to this point. Nothing was going to stop her from seeing Sub-Zero. "You must be delusional…"

"_You two _are the ones who are delusional to think that I am going to let you interfere." Sareena said.

"Witch, you are about _**five**_seconds away from me slicing your face!" Skarlet stated.

Frost harboured animosity and jealousy towards Skarlet before she even met her, due to Sub-Zero talking about his past with her when Frost had asked.

"And you are about _**four **_seconds away from me freezing your blood-sucking-ass, and shattering it into a million pieces!" Frost shot.

"Try it and see what happens, you popsicle-bitch!" Skarlet fired back.

"Whoa, whoa…I think princess and little girl need to relax, before play time gets outta hand…" Sareena said mockingly.

Frost turned to her. "Who are you anyway? No one even knows you exist! You just need to leave. You don't have authority over me, or anybody else!"

"You better tone it down, princess…"

"Stop telling me what to do, AND DON'T CALL ME PRINCESS!"

Although she didn't find it that funny, Skarlet did start to chuckle just to enrage her. "It is pretty funny though…"

Frost shot a sharp look at the sleek assassin and back-handed her face as she could not contain herself any longer.

"Not laughing now _are you_? Blood-sucking-bitch!"

Skarlet retaliated by smacking Frost across the face with a lightning-fast slap. Her red nails had scratched the young Cryomancer's cheek, opening up three bleeding lines on Frost's face.

Sareena stepped in between the two girls and placed a hand on their shoulders to gently pushed them apart before things really started to heat-up.

"Alright let's just settle things down a bit." Sareena offered, before Frost instinctively slammed a palm to her sternum, making her stumble back.

"Get the hell off me!" she shouted.

Sareena's mood had quickly gone from patient to pissed-off. "Alright princess, you asked for it."

Skarlet was leaving. She wanted to be at Sub-Zero's side and didn't need any of this. The two tramps could tear each other apart limb-by-limb for all she cared.

"I don't have time for this. Have fun you two..."

"Where the hell do you think you're going little girl?" Sareena yelled.

"I am going to be with Sub-Zero. I am going to help the one I love. And neither of you can do a damn thing to stop me."

"You had your chance with him, and you blew it!" Frost shot.

"I was under a sorcerer's mind control. I am free of it now and it didn't change how I feel about Kuai."

"It doesn't matter anymore, because what happened had changed how he feels about you. He _loves me __**now**__!" _Frost lied.

Skarlet's whole world went dark. The sinking feeling in her chest now felt like a full-on black hole. "You lie…" she whispered. Tears forming in her eyes.

Sareena felt a bit of Skarlet's pain, as she herself had already felt a strong connection to Sub-Zero. _That's not true._

"Do I? Should I explain to you in full detail how he made love to me? And how we are inseparable? Ever since I became his apprentice, we have been together. **Sub-Zero is now mine**." Frost lied again.

The last statement sent Skarlet over the edge and in complete rage mode, as she drew out her swords and charged Frost head on.

* * *

**The long awaited fight between Skarlet, Frost, and Sareena has begun.**

* * *

Next Chapter's title - **Chapter XIV: Catfight**


	14. Chapter 14 Catfight

**A/N: **Here it is; Round 1 of the big three-way catfight.

Each girl has their own advantages.

- I chose to make Frost have the upper hand in terms of powers and abilities, with her manipulation of ice. She will rely heavily on her Cryokinetic abilities.

- Sareena is the physically strongest out of the three, as she has her inner demon form.

- Skarlet in my opinion is the fast, more skilled and lethal fighter.

* * *

**CHAPTER XIV**

* * *

"**Bring it on, Bitch!" **Frost snapped, as the screaming Skarlet charged towards her.

The young Cryomancer tensed herself and began to channel Cryokinetic energy to her hands. She was going to freeze the red-headed girl and smash her into a million pieces.

Skarlet saw nothing but Frost in her tunnel vision as she charged forward with fury. All she wanted to do was plunge her swords through the bitch's skull, and lick the blades clean of the salty blood.

The Hemomancer noticed the cold-warrior take a stance and bring her palms together. A split second later, Frost shot out an ice-blast - a lot faster than Sub-Zero would - to try and cut off her attack.

_Typical. _Skarlet figured that Frost would rely heavily on her ice powers as it was her main advantage. She swiftly leapt over the attack - and could feel the cool breeze of the ice beam sail underneath her as she flipped forward.

Skarlet attempted to crash down on Frost with her blades but the Cryomancer was quick to avoid the attack by hopping back.

"Nice try, but you're too slow!" Frost teased.

The smart remark only enraged Skarlet, as she then quickly dashed forward with a Red Slide and knocked the cocky Cryomancer to the ground. Skarlet then quickly pounced on Frost - grabbing her spiky ice-blue hair with one hand - and began smashing her fist on her face.

"_HOW_…"_** Bang! **_"_DARE…_" _**Bang! **__YOU…_" _**Bang! **_"_TOUCH…_" _**Bang!**_ "_HIM!_" Skarlet said through clenched teeth, in between blows. The strikes were so hard that they began to crumple Frost's face mask.

Just the thought of the cold, slimy trash being intimate with _her man, _was enough to send Skarlet into full beast mode.

Dozens of emotions coursed through the Hemomancer's body as she continued to pummel the hapless Cryomancer. _Jealousy. Rage. Heart-break. Helplessness. Anxiety. Hate_ and satisfaction were just a few of them. The satisfaction came from finally being able to get her hands on Frost and smashing her in between the eyes.

Her vengeance was cut short as Sareena had ran in and kicked Skarlet off Frost, sending her rolling on the ground.

"**I'm not done with you yet!**" The Demoness yelled, referring to the unfinished business she had with Skarlet since the Netherrealm. It was because of the Hemomancer that Sareena had gone through all the troubles she had in Outworld. Not to mention all the other times Skarlet had infuriated her while under Quan Chi's mind control.

Frost recovered and back-handed Sareena across the face, causing her to bleed from the mouth.

"Stay out of this, or you will get some too!" The Cryomancer warned.

The Demoness wiped the blood that dripped from her busted lip, and responded with a quick right-jab that stunned Frost on her already busted face. "YOU BITCH!"

The Cryomancer responded by tackling Sareena to ground. The girls rolled on the floor, trying to tear each other into pieces.

Skarlet rejoined the fray by running towards the girls - preparing a punt-like kick - and booting Sareena in the spine.

"Aaaaahhhhhh!" The Demoness screamed out in pain.

Frost then kicked up and struck Skarlet in the mid section. The Hemomancer folded over from the hit and then tried to stab one of her swords down on to the Cryomancer.

The blade tip chinked-off the concrete floor as Frost rolled out of the way and back up on to her feet. She then shot a lightning quick ice ball which Skarlet easily dodged.

"Sub-Zero loves me, you dumb twit. He is mine!" Frost screamed, trying to anger her enemy.

"Liar!" Skarlet spat back. "He doesn't feel anything for you. His heart belongs to me!"

"You're delusional. You are nothing but a mistake that he made in the past! A mistake that nearly cost him his life. Go back to where you belong! Go back to being _just a memory…_"

Skarlet began to shake with anger. Every word that left the young Cryomancer's mouth only added to her fury. She grit her teeth and gripped the handles on her swords even harder before charging Frost.

The Hemomancer slashed and sliced away, as the young Cryomancer ducked, dodged, and blocked.

"I won't stop until every last drop of your blood is mine!" Skarlet promised.

"EAT THIS!" Sareena shot, as she leapt in and jumped kicked Frost with excessive force. The Cryomancer slammed into the nearest wall before crumpling to the floor.

The Demoness then drew out her Demon Fang blade, and began to swing wildly at Skarlet.

Skarlet bobbed and weaved through the first wave of swipes, before moving in and trying to slash at Sareena with her own swords. The Demoness dodged the Hemomancer's return, and used her weapon to defend herself.

Sparks flew as the steel weapons clashed against each other.

_**CLANG CLANG CLANG**_

Sareena raised the large serrated blade high and tried to bring it down on Skarlet's skull, who formed an X with her swords and raised them to block the attack. The heavy Demon Fang crashed down against the Hemomancer's ninja blades and Sareena used her superior strength to push down hard.

Skarlet pushed back and an intense struggle ensued. The two vixens were locked eye-to-eye and steel-to-steel. Sareena found more strength within herself and forced the blades closer to the Hemomancer's pretty face.

The sharp end of the Demon Fang was now an inch away from touching Skarlet's forehead -when all of a sudden they both turned their heads to see two large ice-spears rocketing towards them, courtesy of Frost.

Skarlet reacted first by kicking off Sareena's abdomen -her stiletto heel digging in- and sending them both flying back and avoiding the sharp projectiles that blew past them.

Sareena landed on her back and clutched at the new wound on her abdominals, grimacing in pain.

"Owwwww…bitch…"

The Hemomancer also landed on her back and rolled up onto her feet, quickly taking a defensive stance. She then launched two waves of three Kunai blades each at the charging Frost. The Cryomancer ducked one wave and leapt over the other as she continued sprinting towards her enemy.

Skarlet then launched two more waves in Sareena's direction to intercept the barrage of throwing knives the Demoness had sent her way. Sparks bursted in the air as the projectiles crashed into each other and bounced into different directions.

_**Cling! Clang! Clang! Cling!**_

Frost jumped in front of the Tracker and pressed her attack, throwing chops, kicks, and punches at the sexy Skarlet.

The Hemomancer ducked two left-handed jabs, before getting struck with the Cryomancer's right hook. Frost followed up with a knee to Skarlet's mid section, folding the Tracker over and completing the combo with a powerful straight-left that put her on the floor.

Frost watched as the beaten Skarlet slowly got up -trying to collect herself - and found the opportunity to taunt her with more lies.

"Oh and by the way, being with me has made Sub-Zero forget all about you. He and I, we are perfect for each other. We go together like a lock and key…We were cut from the same cloth. _You, _are the _exact opposite _of us…You don't belong with him…**I belong** with Sub-Zero!"

The Hemomancer lifted her head up to look Frost straight in the eye as she continued taunting.

"…You are not even real! You are not even human! Just a pathetic being made from sorcery and evil magic! How could Sub-Zero possibly be in love with something as fake as you!" The Cryomancer screamed.

"Enough of your lies!" Skarlet yelled back.

"Look at my face and tell me I'm lying…Sub-Zero…loves me…he tells me everyday. He also told me that I had saved him from the hell you put him through. Mind control or not, how could he possibly trust you? A product of Outworld."

The rage and hurt Skarlet felt in her chest from Frost's words clouded her mind and the ability to fight with her skill set. She charged with fury, screaming as she tried to tackle the Cryomancer and rip her to shreds.

Frost's plan worked perfectly. She easily telegraphed the Hemomancer's attack and side stepped Skarlet's attempt at a takedown and swiftly kicked her well conditioned abs with force, bending her in half. Frost then brought her elbow down on the Hemomancer's spine, putting her on the floor once again.

The young Cryomancer continued the brutal assault with hard stomps and punishing kicks, tenderizing Skarlet's sleek body.

Frost flipped over her fallen foe and mounted her. She slowly formed a small blade of sharp ice and held Skarlet up, bring her face close to hers.

"I am going to enjoy what happens next…" Frost said softly, looking Skarlet deep in her grey eyes while holding the ice-knife close for her to see.

Frost wanted to slowly gut the young assassin, and letting her bleed out to die. She then licked the ice-blade like a popsicle - in a sick and twisted way - and was about to make her move - when Sareena wrapped an arm around the young Cryomancer's throat and squeezed, lifting her up off Skarlet.

The Demoness wanted to choke the life out of the crazy bitch and began to tighten her hold, watching as Frost's eyes started to bulge-out.

The Cryomancer coughed out saliva and the last gasp of air that sat in her mouth, as the blood flow and oxygen to her head was cut-off from the rest of her body. Her eyes went red and started to water as Sareena tried to pop her head off.

Frost pulled with all of her might on Sareena's firm arm to no avail. She then channelled the remaining energy to her palms and managed to freeze the Demoness' arm.

Sareena let go of the choke-hold in a cry of pain and shook her arm free of the ice.

"_AHH!"_

Frost took a knee and bent over, gasping for air and coughing out at the same time.

Skarlet had managed to make it up to her feet but was hunched over from the damage she had taken. She needed blood fast.

Sareena clutched her arm - which had been frozen - in discomfort and the three ladies all stared at each other panting and breathing heavy. All were hesitant to continue the fighting as they each needed to regroup.

* * *

Sub-Zero watched as Taven donned the armour which had been left for him by his mother, Delia.

It was gold, black, and shiny in appearance.

"You have your 'gift.' Now tell me: For what purpose would a sorceress leave her son such a powerful set of armour?" he asked.

"Apparently I need it for my quest. Something important is supposed to happen once I complete it, though I do not know what that 'something' is yet. At first I assumed the quest was nothing more than a game. But I'm no longer certain."

"I am sorry I unable to help you find out more about your quest. Although I do thank you again for what you have done here. I wish you the best of luck."

Sub-Zero then turned to look at the unconscious Noob Saibot and Smoke. Taven then approached him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"And I wish you luck with saving your brother. Perhaps our paths will cross again."

Sub-Zero nodded. "May the Elder Gods watch over you, Taven."

The Demi-God gave a single nod in return. And with that, Taven had taken off to continue his quest, one that would surely tie-into all that was to come.

Once Kuai Liang was alone, he turned his attention to his brother and comrade, trying to figure out what to do.

It only took a moment of uncertainty before an idea had already popped in the Grandmaster's head. One that he wasn't so sure about, but considering the circumstances, Sub-Zero had to take the gamble. He looked down at the shiny Dragon Medallion on his chest before taking it off, and walking over to his fallen brothers.

* * *

_**Round 2**_

Sareena spoke first. "Well ladies…shall we continue?" she panted.

Frost immediately snapped her head up and blasted an ice beam in her direction. The Demoness lunged out of the way as the wave almost grazed her.

Skarlet quickly sliced herself and formed a Blood Ball, lobbing it at Frost. The projectile hit its target as the Blood Ball burst upon impact, knocking Frost meters away. Probably not a smart move on her part as Skarlet needed all the blood she had to continue fighting. She immediately felt dizzy and weak, but had no time to stabilize herself, as Sareena quickly tackled her.

The Demoness straddled the athletic Skarlet and began clawing away, opening up scratches on the Tracker's pretty face. Sareena continued the wild attack, by then grabbing handfuls of red hair and began slamming Skarlet's head down repeatedly on the concrete floor.

Skarlet took the hits but managed to slide a hand down to her thigh, grabbing her last Kunai blade before jamming it in Sareena's mid section.

"AH!" The Demoness cried out.

_Blood_. Finally. It was exactly what Skarlet needed, but before she could summon the power to extract and absorb the precious crimson fluid, Frost had interrupted and tackled Sareena off of her.

The young Cryomancer rolled around with the Demoness, both of them clawing, scratching and pulling at each other's hair. Sareena managed to scratch open Frost, causing her to bleed.

_Perfect. _This was the moment Skarlet had been waiting for, as she now had the opportunity to drain blood. The Hemomancer held out her hand towards the two girls, and summoned the blood from their wounds, causing their lacerations to open and leak out.

Both Frost and Sareena howled in pain, as blood spilled out of their respective cuts. The Cryomancer clutched at the gashes on her chest, while Sareena tried desperately to plug the puncture on her abdomen with her palm.

Blood seeped through their fingers and onto the floor, and raced towards Skarlet. But before the crimson fluid could reach her, Frost managed to stick up a hand and shoot a beam of ice towards Skarlet, causing her to dodge away from both the attack and the blood she needed.

Frost and Sareena both made it to their feet as Skarlet took a fighting stance. The three girls all stared at one another, deciding that all bets were now off. Play time was over.

Skarlet drew out her swords once again and was not going to hold back any longer. She meant business.

Although Sareena could not access her demon form at will, she was able to tap into its power. She was now going to use one hundred percent of her strength and not hold back either. It was time to make both Frost and Skarlet wish they had never been born.

Frost began to dig deep within herself to channel the full concentration of her Cryokinetic abilities, just as Sub-Zero had taught her.

* * *

**Now that the girls have finished their warm-up, Round 3 is about to begin. Now that all of the cards are on the table, which girl will win? And who will fall?**

_**~and~**_

**What does Sub-Zero plan on doing with Noob Saibot and Smoke?**

* * *

- Who will win the three-way catfight?

- Who will win Sub-Zero's affections?

- Does Sub-Zero want to continue to train Frost and possibly build a relationship with her?

Or

Will Sub-Zero take Skarlet back and continue their love, right where they left off before the mind-control took over?

Or

Does Sub-Zero want a fresh start with Sareena, the Demoness who saved his brother and seems to be the more level headed and most mature of the three women?

**Cast your vote through review, and tell me who you think is walking away from this battle, **_**and **_**Sub-Zero's heart.**


	15. Chapter 15 Exodus Part 1

**A/N:**

**Here's the tally of votes as of August 1****st****, 2013.**

**TEAM SKARLET - 6**

**TEAM SAREENA - 3**

**TEAM FROST - 0 **(Wow)

* * *

**CHAPTER XV**

_**Exodus**_

~_**Part 1**_~

* * *

_**Round 3**_

_**The tension in the main hall of the Lin Kuei Palace was scorching hot, but things were about to heat up even further.**_

The combatants stared at one another with malicious intent, as three pairs of eyes were darting back and forth between two targets.

All were hesitant to make the first move, but each were more than prepared for the final throw down. Blood was going to spill.

Sareena wielded her large Demon Fang, while Frost had her hands up - ready to unleash an icy hell - while Skarlet gripped the swords in her hands even tighter.

A drop of water that had been clinging to an icicle on one of the temple rafters outside, had let go. It seemed like time slowed down as the drop fell, plunging towards the Earth.

As soon as the drop came into contact with the concrete floor, Skarlet made the first move and exploded into a full-on sprint towards Frost.

"Here we go again." The Cryomancer said with a smirk.

She took-off on her own charge, and gunned for the Hemomancer.

Frost suddenly dropped low, and went to execute a 'Frosty Slide,' by sliding across the floor in an attempt to trip Skarlet up.

The Hemomancer responded by launching herself into the air, spiralling first, before rolling her body like a log in mid air.

She spun rapidly before shooting out a devastating kick that smashed Frost's chin, sending her flying back.

Skarlet landed on her feet and spun around, knowing that Sareena would not be far behind. She then blitzed towards the Demoness before dropping down on to her knees - sliding on a trail of blood - and taking a swipe at Sareena's mid section.

The Demoness managed to hop back - but the tip of Skarlet's blade sliced her across the abdomen, opening up a superficial wound.

"_AHH!_" Sareena cried out in pain.

Her blood squirted out onto Skarlet - empowering the Hemomancer - who then finished off the attack with a powerful uppercut.

The Demoness was elevated as her spine, head, and neck arched backwards before she crash landed on the ground.

Frost had recovered and charged in on Skarlet.

The Hemomancer threw a pair of Kunai Blades to intercept her, but Frost stopped herself and blasted the quickest ice beam she could muster.

The wave of ice overwhelmed and froze the blades mid-air, before bursting through and continuing on towards Skarlet. The Hemomancer bobbed back to avoid the beam, but the young Cryomancer quickly followed up by harpooning an ice spear that managed to graze, and slice Skarlet's arm.

Blood leaked out of the wound as the Hemomancer then lost what she had gained from Sareena.

Frost laughed sadistically as she continued throwing ice-spears one by one at Skarlet, who was forced to duck, dodge, and evade the projectiles.

"Ah ha ha ha! Run and jump all you can, bitch! I am eventually going to get you!" The mad Cryomancer yelled.

Skarlet was forced to jump into the air - grabbing her remaining Kunai Blades - and launched all of them at once.

The daggers shot-out in multiple directions; some intercepting the ice-spears, while one managed to hit Frost in the shoulder and another had struck Sareena in the thigh.

Both ladies let out a sharp cry, followed by a hiss of stinging pain as they clutched at their new wounds.

Frost dropped to all fours, before sitting back up on her knees and pulling out the blade lodged in her shoulder.

Sareena tried once to yank out the dagger that buried itself in her right thigh, but only succeeded in screaming out.

"Ah, bitch! I'm going to pound that little redhead." Sareena hissed.

She tried again - commanding all of her will power - and was successful this time in pulling the blade free. _Ow ow ow_

Blood. Skarlet could smell and taste the iron in the air as both Frost and Sareena started to drip moderate amounts of the red liquid. Skarlet stared at the two as they writhed in pain. She then slowly held her hand up to summon the precious crimson fluid, but Frost interrupted the process by shooting an ice beam to the ground and freezing the trail of blood.

The ice quickly spread out across the floor and latched onto Skarlet's red boots, and froze her feet to the ground.

The Hemomancer was stuck, and trying to pull her legs free -when Frost ran in and super punched Skarlet out of her icy confines.

The Cryomancer's fist collided with the left side of Skarlet's cheek, who was then thrown back from the impact.

Sareena caught the Hemomancer - clutching her throat - before hoisting the sexy assassin up high, and proceeding to choke-slam her hard onto the concrete.

The back of Skarlet's head and spine crunched against the floor.

The Demoness then lifted a foot up and repeatedly stomped down hard on the Hemomancer's torso, pulverizing flesh and bone.

"Take it! Take it little girl, take it!" Sareena continued.

Frost slid in on a Frosty Slide and was successful in tripping Sareena up.

The Demoness landed in a heap, before quickly recovering. As soon as she regained her footing, the Cryomancer punished her with powerful jabs across the face.

The strikes did minimal damage, as Sareena was built to take much more punishment. The Demoness responded by cracking Frost in the face with a powerful straight-right of her own.

The Cryomancer recoiled from the blow, clutching her face and shuffling back.

Sareena continued with a swift kick to Frost's gut - folding her over - before placing the young Cryomancer in a headlock and squeezing.

The Demoness picked up right where she left off, which was squeezing the life out of Frost. But it didn't stop there.

Sareena then decided to start using her free hand to pummel Frost with hard kidney shots, doubling the torture.

"Playtime is over, Princess…" she taunted, while continuing her brutal assault.

Sareena then tossed Frost's limp body to the ground, before reaching for her Demon Fang Blade.

She stalked the young Cryomancer who desperately tried to crawl away.

"Don't be such a coward, Princess…Face me!" Sareena spat.

Frost suddenly turned toward her, and blasted a quick, low concentrated ice beam to her face.

The freezing wave stung Sareena's skin, causing the Demoness to bury her face in her palms.

Skarlet leapt in and stunned Sareena with a knee to the head - who was trying to recover from Frost's initial attack - and followed up by lobbing a Blood Ball.

The impact caused the Demoness to crash on the floor, meters away.

The Hemomancer looked between two targets as they both laid on the ground in pain. She contemplated on who to kill first - before turning to Frost. That was who Skarlet really wanted, and had no quarrel with Sareena. The Demoness just happened to be in her way.

"It's you and me, tramp…" Skarlet said.

"No. You're wrong. It's just me _and Sub-Zero. _You and Sareena are unwelcome guests."

The sleek enforcer shook her head.

"I've had it with your lies. This ends now. _Your life _**ends now**."

Frost couldn't help but giggle.

"You must be under mind control again. Or are you always that delusional? Although I must say, I do question Sub-Zero's past choice of partners…"

"I'm his _only _choice. You have no idea what he and I have been through."

"Oh but I do. My dear, dear Skarlet, _I have _experienced many things with Sub-Zero as well_._" Frost said with a smirk.

The sexy assassin felt a hurt in her chest again. She couldn't trust what Frost was saying, but even if only a fraction of what the Cryomancer was saying held truth, it would rip Skarlet's world apart.

Instinctively, she went to attack Frost, who waited for her to commit before counter-attacking.

The Cryomancer side-stepped a lunging Skarlet, before she quickly formed a large, heavy blade of ice, and smashing it across the Hemomancer's skull.

Ice shattered everywhere, as the Hemomancer's fell to the ground. She felt her own blood drip from her forehead and leak out all over her face.

The world seemed to spin, as Skarlet lost her equilibrium. Everything went blurry for the Tracker who suddenly couldn't focus on anything. There was a constant ringing in her ears, and whatever taunts Frost was dishing out, only sounded like mumbled echoes.

Skarlet desperately tried to sit up, but couldn't find her balance. She kept tipping over, and had no sense of direction.

Frost felt that victory was near. She then grabbed Skarlet by her red revealing top and began pummelling her face in.

"It's! My! Turn! Bitch!" Frost screamed, as she pounded away.

The Hemomancer started getting flashbacks of when she was mercilessly beaten at the hands of Ermac, back at the Vogel Clock Tower.

"Now, it's time to really finish things off!" Frost said with excitement.

Her hands began to glow blue as she channelled Cryokinetic energy.

"I'm going to freeze you solid, and then I'm going to smash you into a million pieces..."

"But first, let me tell you more about Sub-Zero and I…"

Skarlet's limp head bobbled, as Frost pulled her face closer to hers.

"He and I, we fit so well together. Not like you and him. You two are like separate puzzle pieces that don't match -it just doesn't fit. But Sub-Zero and I? We match. We fit just fine…_He fits in me so perfectly…_" she whispered.

Skarlet couldn't explain it, but that last statement definitely woke her up a bit. Whether it was adrenaline or anger -it did not matter. She was going to use this new found focus and energy, and spend it all on giving Frost the ass-kicking of her life. The girl was practically begging for it.

Skarlet then pushed Frost up and off of her, before sliding on a Red Dash to begin her attack

She started with an up-slash which lifted the Cryomancer off the ground. Skarlet proceeded to unleash one of the most deadliest combos she had ever completed on an opponent, slashing, hacking, kicking, and slicing away.

The Hemomancer unleashed all of her anger and frustrations on the hapless Frost, leaving her a beaten, battered, and bloody mess.

Skarlet slowly stalked Frost as she tried to scurry away. She held the sword tight in her hand and raised the weapon high. It was time to _finish her_!

The Hemomancer made the movement to bring the sword down - but then something happened. Frost had used a trick Sub-Zero had taught her.

She turned herself into a body of ice, and when Skarlet's weapon had come into contact with it, the ice suddenly shot-out and crawled all over the Hemomancer. She was now frozen.

The attack was of low concentration - not enough to freeze Skarlet inside and out - but enough to freeze her in a shell of ice.

Frost then began to laugh again, making it up to her feet and walking slowly to claim her prize.

"I told you. I will be the one to finish things off!" Frost exclaimed.

The Cryomancer formed the biggest, most solid ice spear she could, and was about to skewer Skarlet, when Sareena jumped in out of nowhere and slashed Frost across the back with her Demon Fang.

"GAH!" the Cryomancer yelled, as she flinched hard from the hit.

Frost crumpled to the floor, writhing in pain. A pool of blood started to form underneath her.

Sareena then kicked Skarlet hard, smashing her out of the ice and onto her back. The Demoness then lifted the blade high and brought it down hard towards Skarlet's skull.

_**Ka-chink!**_

The large, heavy blade drove into the concrete ground inches to the left of Skarlet's pretty face.

The Hemomancer was breathing hard and heavy as she had come so close to death. She turned to look at the Demon Fang that nearly took everything away from her.

Sareena couldn't bring herself to killing the poor woman. It was no longer what she wanted. The Demoness realized what Skarlet had been through just to get to this point. Skarlet had come all the way here just to find the man she loved, to protect him. There was no way Sareena could destroy her for that.

Sareena exhaled hard and pulled her blade back up, sheathing it behind her.

* * *

Sub-Zero had placed both Noob Saibot and Smoke on chairs, and had them bound, back-to-back.

The deadly duo remained unconscious the entire time, but Kuai Liang was not about to take his chances. If what he had planned to do did not work, then executing his brother and comrade would be much easier with them having their arms and legs tied up in case they awoke.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster had no idea if and how it would work, but something inside of Sub-Zero told him to try it.

Kuai Liang took the Dragon Medallion - which enhances it's owner's powers to omnipotent levels - and placed the artefact on the chest of his ally, Smoke first. The Dragon Medallion was also the symbol of Lin Kuei leadership, and there was no doubt in Sub-Zero's mind that the artefact would somehow recognize Smoke's ties and connection to the legendary clan.

The Grandmaster _hoped _it would cleanse the resurrected Enenra's soul, and restore his memories.

A few seconds later, the Medallion began to glow blue with power. Sub-Zero's eyes lit up at the spectacle -but the moment was suddenly interrupted when he heard a loud commotion come from the main hall.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster took off in a hurry, leaving the Medallion, his comrade, and brother behind.

Sareena offered her hand to Skarlet.

The Hemomancer was in complete shock and confusion, as to why the Demoness did not finish her.

Sareena had the golden opportunity to claim victory, but ultimately opted not to end anyone's life.

Frost was barely clinging on to consciousness, a result of the beating she had taken from the two women.

Skarlet reached up and took Sareena's hand, who then pulled the young assassin up.

All three women were breathing hard from exhaustion.

"That's enough fighting for one day…" The Demoness declared.

"Why…Why didn't you kill me?" Skarlet asked.

"I don't know. I just…I just could not do it…This whole time, I thought that killing you was what I wanted…But I was wrong…"

Sub-Zero was nearly at the main hall, and all he had to do was just swoop around the next corner - and there he was.

Kuai Liang's jaw dropped at the sight of the three bloodied women.

"By the Elder Gods…" he gasped, catching their attention.

* * *

Down below in the pits of the Netherrealm, Quan Chi had completed his task of assembling the Forces of Darkness.

"They are ready, Lord Shinnok." The Sorcerer stated, referring to the impossibly large, Army of Darkness.

"Very well. Let's us begin our march into Edenia..."

* * *

**It seems that Sareena has won the battle. But has she won the war? The true victory lies in Sub-Zero's heart.**

_**~Meanwhile~**_

**Will The Lin Kuei Grandmaster's plan of "cleansing" work on Noob Saibot and Smoke?**

_**~And~**_

**How will Sub-Zero react upon seeing the carnage that has been done between the three women in his life?**

**The Forces of Darkness have begun their march to war. How will Lord Raiden and the Forces of Light respond?**

* * *

Chapter 16 - Exodus part 2 is in the works.

Ultimately, I decided that having Skarlet win the fight was too predictable, despite her getting the most votes. There is still one more competition between the 3 women, as they will now battle for Sub-Zero's affections.


	16. Chapter 16 Exodus Part 2

**CHAPTER XVI**

_**Exodus**_

_**~Part 2~**_

* * *

_**Sub-Zero did not know that Skarlet had been freed from Quan Chi's mind control. He assumed that she had arrived with Noob Saibot and Smoke, to attack Frost and Sareena.**_

"SUB-ZERO!" Skarlet and Sareena both cried out in surprise.

Frost managed to lift her head up and look at her master. She smiled a weak smile.

"_Master…_"

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster was taken aback by the display of carnage that lay before him. Seeing the three women all battered, and bloodied was enough to make Sub-Zero sick to his stomach. He hesitated, before locking his eyes on his former love.

_Skarlet._

The woman Sub-Zero loved so much, and who nearly took his life had come to finish the job. It appeared that she was trying to kill both his apprentice, and his newest clan mate. Not under his watch.

The Grandmaster began to charge-up his fists with blue glowing energy. It was time for him to face his past, and to finally rid himself free of the curse that was Skarlet.

"I'm sorry, this _**ends now, **__my love…I will never forget what we shared. I will free you from your misery._" Sub-Zero whispered to himself, as he took a stance and began to form an ice-blast.

Skarlet's eyes went wide as she realized what Sub-Zero was going to do.

"Kuai! WAIT!" The Hemomancer quickly held up her hand to try and stop him.

_Oh shit…_ Sareena thought, as she knew that Sub-Zero wasn't going to listen.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster hesitated before blasting the beam of ice, closing his eyes in the process. _I'm sorry my love…_

Skarlet dove out of the way as the beam blew past her, before crashing against a temple wall, and freezing it.

"Sub-Zero, wait! Stop!" Sareena tried to tell him.

"Sareena! Get out of the way!" Kuai Liang shouted, as he continued to blast away.

Skarlet ducked, dodged, and flipped over the continuous beams of ice that Sub-Zero shot her way. Even though she knew Sub-Zero was unaware of her being free from Quan Chi's sorcery, the fact that the man she loved so much was trying to attack her, hurt so much.

"Kuai Liang, Please!" Skarlet shouted, as she avoided another beam. "I'm not here to attack you!"

"DO IT MASTER! KILL HER! KILL HER!" Frost shouted, while on the floor. "SHE'S TRYING TO KILL ALL OF US!"

"NO! THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Sareena shot back. "SUB-ZERO! PLEASE STOP!"

"WE CAN'T TRUST HER! SHE NEEDS TO BE STOPPED! SHE IS HERE TO ASSASSINATE US!" Frost screamed.

"That's a lie!" Sareena hissed, as she went over and knocked Frost with a hard punch.

Sub-Zero continued to try and freeze Skarlet.

The Hemomancer was already running low on energy, and was beginning to slow down. It was only a matter of time before Sub-Zero was successful in freezing her.

"Please Sub-Zero! Just listen to me!" Skarlet begged, as she flipped over another blast, and landed in a crouch position.

Sareena ran up to Sub-Zero and tackled him to the ground.

"You need to stop! Skarlet is no longer under Quan Chi's mind control anymore! She came here to warn you about Noob Saibot and Smoke!" The Demoness panted.

Kuai Liang finally eased up, dropping his arms in surrender. The two sat up slowly, breathing hard.

"It's okay…Skarlet isn't a threat to us…"

"Then why is it that you all look like you have been through the Netherrealm? Tell me, what is the meaning of this blood bath?" Sub-Zero replied, before looking up at Skarlet.

"It's a long story…" The Demoness answered.

"Then tell me. I have the right to know. You must understand that when I see my apprentice, my newest clan member, and the woman who last tried to kill me, all bloody and battered, I can only assume one thing."

"Skarlet showed up to try and warn you about Noob Saibot and Smoke. Frost wanted to come to your aid, while you gave me strict orders not to let anyone interfere. The three of us had a little disagreement…"

"A _little _disagreement…?" Sub-Zero said, cocking an eyebrow up.

"Well, a big disagreement."

Frost struggled, but finally made it to her feet. She shuffled slowly towards them.

"Master, these women are nothing but trouble and cannot be trusted. You must tell them to leave immediately…"

"_Excuse _me?" Sareena asked. "You out of all of us are the one who should be trusted the least. Sub-Zero, I know _this child _is your apprentice, but you are not safe being around her."

"**Get out of here!**" Frost said. "You don't even belong here! You are an outcast! Nobody even knows you exist, so I suggest you leave!"

"Princess, you are about two seconds away from me bashing your face-in."

Frost turned to Sub-Zero.

"Master, you see how violent she can be? She is not even human. Neither of these two women are! One is a demon, while the other…I don't even know what she is…" Frost pointed at Skarlet.

Sub-Zero was speechless.

"Kuai Liang, is this immature student who you _really _want as your successor? You know she can't be trusted. And as for Skarlet, yes I do know that you two have shared an intimate past, but what is to say that she can't be controlled again? What if Quan Chi or some other sorcerer puts her under some spell, or mind control again?"

"She's right, you can't trust Skarlet, master. You can't trust either of them. _**Both **_of them are at risk for being mind-controlled. They are both evil beings. They both have connections to the Netherrealm, and the Forces of Darkness!" Frost declared.

"It's funny you say that, because you are the one here with the most evil intentions! Why are you really even here? I know deep down you see Sub-Zero as nothing but a pawn in your game. You're hiding something. Why else would you be here? Tell us!" Sareena accused.

"Quiet yourself!" Frost defended, before glancing at Sub-Zero's chest.

The Dragon Medallion was missing. It was her true and only goal in life, and was what she really ever desired. She knew she would have to go through Sub-Zero at some point to get to it, and now it was missing. Her eyes went wide as she became silent. _Where the hell is it?_

"You see, Sub-Zero? Frost is clearly lying. She can't be trusted either. Neither of these girls can. I am the only one you can have a fresh start with. You need to make the right choice. The choice that will keep you safe." The Demoness reasoned.

Skarlet, who had been silent the whole time and was just happy to have her eyes on Sub-Zero again, was internalizing everything that was being said. She came to the sudden realization that maybe she wasn't the best choice for Kuai Liang. Although she loved him so much with every fibre in her being, all she ever truly wanted was Sub-Zero's happiness and safety. Even if it wasn't with her.

Skarlet fought hard to keep herself from tearing up. But she knew what she had to do, and what she had to say.

* * *

Back at the Cathedral, the Forces of Light were discussing battle plans and strategies, when Lord Raiden all of a sudden went silent and still. He had received another vision.

"Raiden, what is it?" Fujin asked.

The Thunder God returned to the present. He started to breathe hard and heavy.

"It has begun…" he said softly.

The Earthrealm Warriors shared a collective gasp. A moment of silence passed, before there was fast-talking, activity, and tension.

"Lord Shinnok and the Forces of Darkness have opened portals, and will enter Edenia soon. We must be ready to meet them…and our destinies…"

All exchanged looks of determination and nervousness.

"Everyone, ready yourselves. I must retrieve the other fighters. I will return shortly." Lord Raiden said, as he held an arm up to the air, and disappeared in flash of blue lightning.

* * *

Frost spoke again.

"Master, none of this would have ever happened if these two had never shown up. Let us go back to the way things were before they got here. They cause nothing but trouble and heartache."

Sub-Zero was beginning to get a headache more than anything. He had never been in a situation such as this, and had no idea of how to handle it.

"And by the way, where is the Medallion, master? That artefact is the symbol of Lin Kuei leadership. I hope you have not lost it!" Frost said, the trembling anxiety could be heard in her voice.

A look of confusion splashed across Sub-Zero's face.

"It is safe. Why? Why do you need to know of the Medallion's whereabouts?"

Frost was beginning to go mad and crazy. Nothing had been going her way. All of the fighting, distractions, and people getting in between her and Sub-Zero were driving her insane.

She had to know where the Dragon Medallion was at all times and if it was safe. It was her only reason for existing. The young Cryomancer often dreamed about it, fantasized about it, and craved the power it possessed. She began to hyperventilate.

"Where…is it…master? I _need to know!_" Frost said, raising her voice with a crazy look on her eyes.

Sareena and Skarlet looked on with confusion and awkwardness.

"It is none of your concern…" Sub-Zero said.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster was increasingly concerned about his apprentice's mental well being. He had gotten hints that she had an emotional connection to the Medallion - by the way her eyes would always glaze over it - but Sub-Zero brushed it off as nothing more than admiration.

"_TELL ME MASTER! TELL ME WHERE IT IS!" _Frost was yelling.

"Frost, **calm down**!" Sub-Zero commanded. "What is wrong with you?"

"I NEED IT, I NEED TO KNOW WHERE IT IS!" The young Cryomancer spat.

Sareena and Skarlet slowly began to reach for their weapons. It looked as if things were going to get ugly again.

"Frost please! Do not make me do something I will regret!" The Grandmaster shouted.

"THE MEDALLION IS MINE! **IT BELONGS TO ME**!" Frost screamed, as she then formed an ice-spear and lunged at her master.

"_FROST, NO!"_ Sub-Zero shouted, as he quickly side stepped her attack and flash-froze her with a blast of ice.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster forced a wave of Cryokinetic energy onto his student. Frost was frozen in a solid block of ice. Sub-Zero halted his attack and exhaled hard.

Sareena ran to his side and held him. Kuai Liang could not believe what he had just did, but it had to be done. It wasn't a fatal level of ice-concentration, and Sub-Zero only froze Frost to restrain her.

"Sub-Zero, are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes…" he said, as he stared at the block of ice that held his apprentice.

At that moment, a blue flash of lightning burst itself into the main hall of the Lin Kuei Temple. It was Lord Raiden.

"Lord Raiden?!" Sub-Zero said, surprised at the Thunder God's appearance.

"By the Elder Gods! What has transpired here?" Raiden asked, looking around at the carnage that he found himself in the middle of.

"A disagreement…" Sub-Zero said, cracking a small smile behind his mask.

Normally something like this would pique the Thunder God's interest, but there was a much larger issue at hand.

"I am sorry to interrupt your family affair, Sub-Zero. But I would not have done so if it were not for the gravest of circumstances…"

"What do you mean, Lord Raiden?" The Lin Kuei Grandmaster asked.

"The Battle of Armageddon...It has begun. We will need you, and what forces you can muster."

"Very well, Lord Raiden. However, I cannot travel with you now. I have a very important, personal issue to deal with before I can join the battle. But trust me, it will be for the benefit of the Forces of Light. You will not be disappointed."

"I see…Very well. Join us when you can."

"Lord Raiden, if it is within your power, I request that you leave open a portal for me here. That way, I can travel to the battle as quickly as possible."

"Indeed. It seems that the battle will take place in the southlands of Edenia. That is where Lord Shinnok will march his army. We will intercept his forces there."

"Yes, Lord Raiden." Sub-Zero bowed.

The Thunder God then turned to the two women.

"Sareena? Skarlet? Will you join me?" The Thunder God asked, offering his hand.

The Demoness turned to Sub-Zero, unsure of what to do.

Skarlet looked on, trying to absorb what had just happened. She then looked up at Sareena, who held Kuai Liang in her arms. That single moment hurt so much, and the Hemomancer felt like her heart was going to explode in her chest.

Just seeing another woman show the only man she ever loved some affection, was enough to make Skarlet feel like death inside. But it was probably for the best.

Skarlet wiped a tear from her face as she slowly walked up to the man she loved.

Sub-Zero caught her gaze with his, and let go of Sareena to meet her.

The two stopped a few inches away from each other, as Skarlet held a hand up to Kuai Liang's face.

"I just want you to know that I will always love you, and will always be there for you no matter what. I am not giving up on us and I never will, but maybe Sareena is right. You need someone one who will take care of you, and someone you can trust. What is to stop me from being mind-controlled again? I couldn't live with myself if I ever hurt you."

Skarlet began to tear as she continued to speak. Who knew that a blood thirsty killing-machine could harbour such emotion?

"I wish I could take back that moment when I nearly took the life of the man I care so much for, and will only ever love. I am a danger to you. It seems that whenever we are happy, things go terribly wrong. We both had no idea of what we were getting ourselves into when we decided to be together. We knew there would be risks, and that we would someday face insurmountable obstacles together. This is one of them. Whether we are meant to be in each others lives or not -and if you are destined to be with someone else, will never change how I feel about you. With all that is about to happen, I may never see you again, so I just want to tell you that I love you, Sub-Zero, and always will…Forever. Even in death."

Skarlet then placed a small kiss on Sub-Zero's cheek from behind her mask, before turning away to join Lord Raiden.

"I am coming with you."

* * *

**The Battle to end all battles is about to begin. Who will Sub-Zero choose? And what will happen to Smoke and Noob Saibot?**

* * *

- I'd like to thank and credit **Duen** for pointing out: "Whats to stop Skarlet from being mind controlled again?"

That question alone inspired a lot of the dialogue in this chapter. Thanks **Duen**!


	17. Chapter 17 Sub-Zero's Decision

**CHAPTER XVII**

* * *

_**Skarlet declared her love, and made her final pitch to Sub-Zero. She poured her heart out and left it all on the line.**_

Sub-Zero did not even get a chance to respond before Skarlet turned away to join Lord Raiden.

There was so much he wanted to say, and so much he wanted to tell Skarlet, but he just could not find the words.

Sareena approached Sub-Zero from behind, turning him to face her.

"I wish to stay here with you, but you must make a choice, Sub-Zero…" The Demoness said softly.

Kuai Liang took a deep breath, looked up at Skarlet - who stood beside Raiden - before looking back down at Sareena.

Sub-Zero was not making any choices today.

"I think it is best if you both go with Lord Raiden…" The Lin Kuei Grandmaster said, he then pressed his lips into a hard line.

Sareena's shoulders slumped as she looked down, clearly disappointed. She looked back up into Sub-Zero's ice-blue eyes, before lifting up the bottom part of his mask to place a kiss on his lips. Skarlet looked away.

The Demoness then pulled the mask back down before turning away to join Lord Raiden and the Hemomancer.

Sareena walked over to the Thunder God's left as Skarlet had already joined him to his right.

Sub-Zero looked on as the three of stood side by side - facing him - before Lord Raiden lifted an arm up. The blue lightning began to start flashing around them, ready to teleport the three away, when Kuai Liang suddenly held his hand up.

"Wait!" he said, pacing towards them.

Sub-Zero walked straight ahead, while both Skarlet and Sareen stared on as they wondered who he would approach.

Sub-Zero then made his way towards Skarlet, reaching inside his uniform before pulling a small object out. He then took one of her hands and placed the small object in her palm, before closing her fist shut around it.

"This is yours. You may do as you wish with it. I have kept it with me always, as a reminder to what we have shared, even after all that has happened between us. It is a symbol of what our relationship has meant to me, and what you mean to me. It belongs to you."

Skarlet looked down at her hand, but Sub-Zero kept it shut.

"You don't have to say anything. Just don't open your hand until you have left here."

Sareena knew who Sub-Zero had chosen. While her own heart broke, she felt happy for the love that the two shared. It was a shame that something so beautiful might end because of what was to come. A tear formed in the corner of her eye.

Sub-Zero turned to Lord Raiden and nodded, signalling to the Thunder God that he was ready to say goodbye.

Raiden nodded back, before raising a palm up and creating a swirling blue vortex out of lightning.

"This portal will lead you straight into battle. It can only stay open for a limited time so be quick with what you need to do. Once you are ready, you may enter it."

Sub-Zero bowed.

"Thank you, Lord Raiden."

And with that, the Thunder God lifted an arm up to the sky, summoning furious blue lightning to surround, and teleport the trio.

Skarlet kept her eyes locked with Sub-Zero's as the light separated them, taking her away.

* * *

_**Smoke**_

* * *

_Memories of a boy, growing up happy and living a childhood like all children should. Then it happened. __Tomas Vrbada was only a boy when he was abducted by an obscure cult and sacrificed to a demon._

_Burned alive, he returned to the mortal realm as an Enenra, a creature of smoke and vapor. His captors were helpless against his shapeless form as he lashed out with rage, killing them all. His murder avenged, he returned to his human form, remembering nothing of his former life._

_He was then recruited by the Lin Kuei for his impressive ability to escape capture. Able to transform into a wisp of smoke, his talent has proved useful on countless missions._

_All of that seemed like ages ago. Memories of fighting, blood, Sub-Zero, and death at the hands of Sindel were like flashes through Smoke's mind. He remembered his human form being resurrected by Quan Chi, and being ordered to serve Noob Saibot - who had once been Bi-Han. _

_Skarlet, The other Earthrealm fighters, and everything else seemed like a blur.- Fast, too fast, cant focus on anything.- Head spinning, pain, pain, pain! pain! _

_The Enenra felt a power surge through his body, warping his mind and soul, and taking everything away. *Smoke?* - A familiar voice - All the heaviness in his heart, all the evil thoughts, *Smoke, can you hear me?* all the control that restrained him and - _Smoke awoke. The Enenra opened his eyes.

* * *

Tomas Vrbada had returned to the living form. He looked down at his body which had been restored, and felt full of life. Smoke was astonished. _How? How could this be?_

He then noticed the Grandmaster's Medallion on his chest. The blue hue began to fade as it seemed like it was powering down or stopping from whatever it had been doing.

Smoke quickly looked up, and saw Kuai Liang staring at him. Smiling.

"Sub-Zero?!" Tomas cried out in joy. If this was a dream, then Smoke did not want to wake up.

He tried to sit up and move, but felt restraints. He looked down to see that his hands were tied behind his back, and his legs were bound to the chairs.

"Sorry my friend. I had to make sure this would work first, before letting you go…" Sub-Zero said, untying the ropes.

Smoke stood up and hugged his comrade.

"It's good to have you back, friend." Sub-Zero said, letting go.

"It is good to be back. I have missed hearing your wretched voice ." Smoke replied.

"And I do not miss your sense of humour." Kuai Liang joked back.

"I cannot believe this has happened. How is it possible?"

"I do not know. Something inside me told me to try this. I am surprised it worked."

Smoke looked down to the Medallion on his chest. He quickly removed it, before bowing his head and offering it back.

"This belongs to you Grandmaster. It is truly a wonder, and a magical gift."

"Let us hope that it's magic has not run-out…" Sub-Zero stated, turning to look down at Noob Saibot.

Smoke then turned to see that Bi-Han remained unconscious, still tied to the chair. Tomas knew that Bi-Han was much further down the path of evil then he was, as Bi-Han had already been transformed into Noob Saibot before death and resurrection. Smoke had been fighting for good when he perished at the hands of Sindel.

"There is only one way to find out." Smoke replied.

"Indeed. Let us begin." Sub-Zero said, as he then placed the Dragon Medallion on his brother Bi-Han.

Kuai Liang then looked back up at Tomas.

"Smoke, there are still surviving clan members scattered in and around this temple. Use your speed to rally and gather as many members as you can. Inform them of what has transpired."

"Yes, Grandmaster." Smoke agreed, bowing before him.

Kuai Liang smiled.

"I do not require you to call me that. I am still Sub-Zero."

"As you wish, Sub-Zero."

* * *

Lord Raiden, Skarlet, and Sareena all appeared in a flash, teleporting right in the middle of the Cathedral.

The Earthrealm Warriors all gathered around the trio.

"Whoa, what the hell happened to you two?" Johnny Cage asked.

Sareena gave him a look.

"It's a long story. Believe me, you don't wanna hear it."

The movie star threw his hands up.

"Okay…well, the story isn't over yet… It's about to begin."

Kenshi spoke up.

"That is _if _we survive it…"

The Blind Swordsman's comment suddenly took the hope out of the room, as the Forces of Light were reminded of how real and how serious the next moments of their lives would be.

Skarlet turned to the Thunder God.

"Lord Raiden, I am weak, and weary from battle. I need blood if I am to be effective in this fight." she said softly, trying not to let the others overhear.

"Do not worry young one, there will be plenty of bloodshed coming. You may use your powers and take advantage of it on the battlefield. Stay at the back of the lines until blood has been spilt." Raiden replied.

"May I ask one more thing?"

"Yes, Skarlet. What is it?"

"Should I encounter Quan Chi during the war, and fall under his sorcery again, I ask that you destroy me personally. So that I do not harm any of you or anybody else I care about."

Lord Raiden then placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I have faith in you, Skarlet. You have become so much stronger physically, and mentally since the first time I met you. To go from being a product of Shao Kahn's to fighting for the Forces of Good says much about who you truly are. I trust you will be able to overcome any spell or magic the enemy has in store for us. I will do my best to look after you….To look after _all of us_."

"Thank you, Lord Raiden." Skarlet said, before walking off to a nearby church bench and sitting on it. She was exhausted.

Sonya Blade followed, and sat next to her.

"Hey girl, you okay? You like you have been through hell."

"Yeah I'll be fine. Thanks, I guess you could say that."

"Was it worth it?"

"Was _what, _worth it?"

"Going up there and doing what you had to do."

Skarlet looked up and gave Sonya a smile from behind her mask.

"Sub-Zero is _always_ worth it."

Sonya smiled back before standing up and patting her on the shoulder.

"I know. Dumb question. I'm going to give you a few minutes so you can relax and prepare."

"Sure."

Sonya walked off to rejoin Johnny and the rest of the gang.

Each member of the Forces of Light were either training, limbering up, or performing spiritual rituals to ready themselves for what was to come.

Skarlet then opened her hand to see the object that Sub-Zero had given her.

It was a ring.

And not just any ring, it was the ring she had set her eyes on, so many moons ago, back during peaceful times, and when they were at the height of their young love.

The Hemomancer didn't even ask for it, and all Skarlet did was stare at it in awe as she had never seen something so beautiful. Sub-Zero took the initiative to obtain it and keep the ring all this time, waiting for the right moment to give it to her.

Skarlet let out a deep sigh, as the rock on it had reminded her of him. It was cold, hard, and transparent, just like ice. She had never felt so much love for the man than in that moment, and she wished so hard that he could be there so she could wrap her arms around him.

Skarlet had gone through a lot. From being created out of pure sorcery for the purpose of killing, and being locked-up in chains at the side of Shao Kahn's throne, to rebelling against her birthright, to meeting Sub-Zero and falling in love, through death and dying, to returning to the forces that created her and back, to this.

Skarlet had come full circle, and just this moment alone was so worth the trip. She would do it all over again in a heartbeat. She clutched her fist around the ring and held it tight to her chest, closing her eyes while thinking of Sub-Zero. She wanted to channel all her love to the man as much as he she could, before entering what would probably be her last adventure.

Sareena witnessed the entire moment take place, and although it did nothing but confirm Sub-Zero's choice, she couldn't help but feel happy for the girl. Heartbreak was something the Demoness was getting used to, and this time, she didn't mind.

Sareena sat next to Skarlet on the bench.

"I am happy for you. Really, I am. You two deserve each other…"

"But what if something happens? What if I end up hurting him again? I'd would rather die than harm Sub-Zero…"

"It seems to me that he is willing to take that risk. Besides, you said it yourself. This is just one of those obstacles that you two will inevitably encounter together."

"I hope you are right…How do you feel about all this?"

Sareena sighed.

"Things not going my way isn't a custom that's new to me. Besides, I could sense that he still cares deeply for you."

Skarlet looked up at the Demoness.

"Thank you. I appreciate that. I just hope I get to see him again."

"Me too. I hope we all get to see each other beyond what is about to happen next."

Skarlet offered a determined look. After receiving her gift, she found drive and determination, promising herself that she was going to make it, just to see Sub-Zero again.

"We will. I promise that we will. I will do everything in my power to ensure that we survive."

Sareena smiled.

"I wouldn't' bet against you. I know what your capable of, and what you did for me back there at the Lin Kuei Temple. You could've killed me if you wanted to, but you didn't."

Skarlet gave a sly grin.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"It's alright. Because in the end, I returned the favour. And you shouldn't have toyed with Frost. You should have just killed her outright when you had the chance."

"It seemed like a good idea at the time. And it was very enjoyable."

"Girl, was it ever."

The two women shared a laugh before Sareena retook a serious demeanour.

"When we are out there, I'll have your back. Just make sure you watch mine…"

"Count on it." Skarlet replied.

Just then, Lord Raiden spoke up as the Forces of Light all stood up and joined him.

"The time is now! Warriors of Earthrealm, prepare yourselves! It has begun! The war of all wars is here! The Battle of Armageddon is about to begin."

* * *

**The pieces are set. The epic showdown all have been waiting for, has come.**

* * *

CHAPTER XVIII: **Armageddon.**

**A/N:**

-I've decided to bring "the ring" back into play. I was hesitant at first because of the "realism" it brings into the story. You can refer back to chapter 1 of this story or my other story "Kold Blooded Khristmas" to see when it was first mentioned (in case anyone is wondering). Sub-Zero decided to keep it all along and just could not leave it behind.

- Do not fret **Sareena **fans, I have something special in store for her.

- I've got some serious studying to do. There's going to be a lot of fighting and finishers in the next couple of chapters. I have to make sure I get most (if not all) of the MK rosters' move sets down. Prepare to have some of your favourite fighters getting straight F****D UP! Cuz it's gunna be a party.


	18. Battle of Armageddon Pt 1 Strike to Kill

**~AUTHOR'S NOTE~**

Alright folks, after 17 chapters and months of me scratching my ass, I have finally (FINALLY) made it to this point. I would not have gotten this far if it weren't for you, the faithful readers and followers.

I apologize in advance. Due to the large magnitude of this fight, I cannot hash-it all out on 1 chapter only and will be breaking it down into several. I'm going for broke on this one and leaving it all out on these pages. I am sorry if I disappoint anyone with anything.

I'd like to thank all of you now because I might be brain dead by the end of this story.

A special **Thanks and Appreciation **goes out to **Cold Recluse **(For her massive support, great in-depth reviews, and being an awesome friend.) **TheHemomancer, **My Aussie brother - For the great ideas, strong support and always being one of the 1st to R/R, **Shadow master, **You leave fantastic reviews, much appreciated. You have reviewed almost every chapter, **Nentone, **The Keyboard collector, you have pushed me throughout this series to continue on, A BIG thanks to **Duen, **For** offering **and **helping** with the study of the kombatants and overall contribution, **AlexisBlack44 and LadyMagDoll **( Both of you are very kind and give reviews and support.)

**VR Commando ATA **for always giving good suggestions, **TYZ300** for being the funniest reviewer, **MilyMileena, OMAC001, mooseman3, Suzaku21, **You guys all rock!** Angel Dethrone -**I'll be working on Kitana's Heartbreak soon. Thanks for liking it a lot! **MEIeeSmasher, Thisguy15, Coki13566, Croma Albarn gorgon, Fandelivres, BunnySideNuts, Goldberg-Beast, SupaSaiyan, SilverScreenRoll, Fusion Corsair, **and last but not least, **ALL who favourite and follow this story, and ANYONE **I might have missed. **I HUMBLY THANK YOU ALL!**

I always looked forward to all of your great reviews, and you all have made me very happy. Thanks for going easy on me guys!

* * *

Now on to business.

**-CURRENT ROSTERS-**

**Forces of Light - **Lord Raiden, Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, Fujin, Kai, Kenshi, Li Mei, Shujinko, Ashrah, Bo Rai Cho, Sareena, and Skarlet.

**Forces of Darkness - **Lord Shinnok, Quan Chi, Scorpion, Ermac, Reiko, Rain, Kia ,Tia, Onaga (returning), Dairou, Havik, Hotaru, Hsu Hao, Kira, Kobra, Mavado, Nitara, Tanya, Jarek - Along with - **Souls of** **Fallen Outworld Forces - **Shao Kahn, Shang Tsung, Reptile (host for Onaga), Sindel, Goro, Motaro, Sheeva, Kintaro, Kano, Cyrax, Sektor, Mileena, - Along with - **Souls of the Fallen Earthrealm Forces - **Liu Kang (Spirit Form), Kitana, Jade, Jax, Stryker, Kabal, Kung Lao and Nightwolf.

**12 vs. 39 **I know. Looks daunting for the Forces of Light, but I'll do my best to make things interesting and realistic.

Obviously this Battle of Armageddon will be slightly different from the game, as I plan to make it much more original with my take.

**Taven **and **Daegon **will also arrive later on. And of course **BLAZE.**

**Sub-Zero **better hurry up quick.

* * *

**CHAPTER XVIII**

**AMRAGEDDON PART 1**

_**Strike to Kill~**_

* * *

_**After gathering the Forces of Light, Lord Raiden teleported all of the Earthrealm Warriors to the barren southlands of Edenia. Once there, the Forces of Light finally laid eyes upon what would probably be their final resting place.**_

_Wow…this is…wow. _Skarlet thought, as she took in the desert-like environment.

The Hemomancer took in a deep breath as she scanned the vast horizon. It if didn't look like Hell now, it surely would in the next few minutes.

Skarlet subconsciously began to idly twist her ring, before looking down at it. Although she still wasn't use to the custom, she managed to place it on the ring finger of her left hand. If Skarlet was meant to perish in battle today, she was going to die wearing the ring.

"This is where they will arrive." Lord Raiden stated, breaking the tense silence.

The Thunder God shot a glance to the far right of the field, to see that the portal he opened for Sub-Zero was there. _Please hurry, Sub-Zero. Will we need you._

Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade linked arms as they waited for there destiny. The couple seemed nervous, but determined.

The Movie Star never was more serious in his life than in this turned to face his partner.

"Sonya, whatever happens today, I just want to sa-"

"Shut up." The Lieutenant interrupted, looking straight ahead and serious, not wanting to get all sappy before the big moment. She then broke a smile before giving Johnny a kiss on the cheek.

"Tell me later." she suggested.

Johnny Cage then turned to the Thunder God.

"Hey Raiden…anymore visions? Can you foresee what happens to us?"

"I am sorry Johnny Cage. But my sight does not go beyond today. I do not know what the future holds." Lord Raiden replied.

Kenshi stepped forward.

"Lord Raiden if I may…" The Blind Swordsman asked. " With your permission, I personally would like to lead the charge, and our forces into battle."

"Absolutely Kenshi. You shall be at the forefront of our company, and I will fly overhead and eliminate as many enemies as I can."

The Swordsman nodded.

Kai had his hands on his hips as he stared ahead with unblinking eyes.

"I still don't know what the hell I am doing here…Why did I ever agree to this?" he joked.

"Do not regret, young warrior. Today, you shall become…a man…" Bo Rai Cho amused, placing a hand on the Monk's shoulder.

"Say what!? You must be crazy, fat-man." Kai replied.

Sareena walked up beside Skarlet.

"I don't know what Sub-Zero's doing, but he better do it fast, and get here quick." The Demoness stated.

"He will be. He wouldn't miss this."

"What do you think he is doing that is so important?"

"I don't know. But I truly believe that Sub-Zero knows what he is doing, and that it will somehow help us."

"I hope you're right. He will be missing all the fun if he doesn't make it in time."

Fujin along with Shujinko, joined Lord Raiden.

"They are coming. I can sense their presence. The winds are changing..." The God of Wind said.

"Indeed." Lord Raiden replied, as he tilted his chin towards the battlefield.

Just as the Thunder God finished his statement, far off across the open plains, not one, but two, _three _large portals opened up on the opposite side of the field.

* * *

Lord Shinnok, Quan Chi - flanked by Scorpion and Ermac- were among the first to emerge from the centre portal.

The rest of the Forces of Darkness followed through, emerging from all three of the swirling vortexes, due to the large size of their army.

Lord Raiden sighed.

"Despite my best efforts, I have done nothing to prevent Armageddon. I fear that all I have achieved was making matters worse. And now, we face not only our enemy, but our fallen comrades as well…" The God of Thunder said, as he scanned the contingent of soldiers to Lord Shinnok's left.

It was Nightwolf, along with Kitana, Jade, Jax, Stryker, Kabal and Kung Lao. Their bodies were coloured an ashen grey, with their eyes glowing red. It was a disheartening sight to see, and that their souls deserved to rest instead of serve Quan Chi without a choice. Raiden was going to make Quan Chi pay for his unforgivable crime.

Fujin tried his best to encourage the Thunder God.

"Do not despair Lord Raiden. There is always hope… May the Elder Gods be with us today..."

Quan Chi then opened a fourth portal, which connected to Outworld.

Lord Shinnok turned to him, but the Sorcerer spoke before the Fallen Elder God could ask.

"It is a portal connecting to Outworld. I am expecting company to join us from there shortly…"

"Very well. Do what you must. I am here for one reason only." Shinnok stated.

The Fallen Elder God was referring to the Elemental, Blaze. Lord Shinnok put much effort into hiding the real reason why he descended his army upon the southlands of Edenia. It was the location of the Pyramid of Argus, where Blaze would emerge. The Fire-Elemental known as Blaze, was a being created by Taven's mother, Delia. It is said that whomever was successful in defeating the powerful creature, would gain godlike powers and unimaginable strength in return.

That was all the motive the Fallen Elder God needed. He decided to keep his true intentions hidden, for fear of betrayal and the risk of one of his own taking the prize for themselves.

Lord Shinnok eyed Lord Raiden, and the handful of warriors that dared to defy him.

"Pathetic. The Thunder God is delusional to think that he has a chance of survival against us. Let us begin our attack." The Fallen Elder God ordered.

Quan Chi summoned the charge, signalling the Forces of Darkness to attack.

A huge battle cry erupted from the group, as the first offensive wave of Kintaro, Goro, Sheeva, Motaro, Tremor, and Shao Kahn took off in a charge.

The second unit comprised of The Fallen Earthrealm fighters: Kabal, Jax, Kitana, Nightwolf, Stryker, Jade, and Kung Lao. They were then controlled by Quan Chi, to charge behind the first unit.

Dust and smoke was kicked up in the air as the ground began to tremble.

The third unit led by Scorpion, Ermac, Rain, and Mileena, charged forth, leaving only Quan Chi and Lord Shinnok behind.

_**Centre of the Battlefield.**_

A lone vulture, feeding on the remains of a fallen masked guard, quickly flew away as Kintaro approached, leading the Forces of Darkness forward.

Far on the other side of the crater, Lord Raiden and the Forces of Light all tensed up as they saw the large host charging towards them.

Kenshi reached for his sword and pulled it out from behind his back.

Sareena unsheathed her large Demon Fang, while Kai, Bo Rai Cho, Shujinko, Li Mei, and Fujin prepared themselves to fight.

Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade quickly embraced one last time, before stepping forward.

Skarlet's heart began to pump wildly in her chest, as she gripped her swords tight.

"HOLD YOUR GROUND! DO NO ATTACK UNTIL I SAY!" Lord Raiden commanded. "CONSERVE YOUR ENERGY WHILE THEY EXERT THEIRS! LET THEM COME TO US!

Skarlet remembered what Lord Raiden told her, which was to stay at the back of the lines until blood had been spilt.

Sareena - who was standing a few meters ahead - glanced over her shoulder at Skarlet.

"This is it. Remember what I told you. You watch my back, I'll get yours, okay? And don't hold anything back this time. **Strike to kill**…got it?"

Skarlet fired a quick nod in return, her focus still on the large army that charged towards them.

Lord Raiden waited patiently as he saw the Forces of Darkness cross the half-way point of the battlefield.

_Just a little more, then we should be ready. The Forces of Darkness will have already used up a quarter of their energy just by charging the length of the field…_

"HOLD…**HOLD**…**ATTACK**! _**NOW! **_" The Thunder God screamed, as his Forces of Light erupted in battle cries of their own, charging full steam ahead.

Kenshi led the group, his sword drawn out and pointed towards the enemy as he ran.

Skarlet stayed back, becoming very fidgety and jumpy, itching for the chance to join the battle. The Hemomancer was not one to be sitting around waiting patiently for blood. She wanted it _now. To hell with this_ she thought, as Skarlet then took-off after the Forces of Light, quickly outpacing the other fighters due to her superior speed. Her body was built like an Olympic sprinter, and she soon caught up to Kenshi.

Lord Raiden and Fujin flew overhead, maintaining pace with the Forces of Light's frontline.

Tremor was in the lead of his evil allies pack, and the brown and black-garbed ninja then leapt high into the air, flipping forward and spiralling, before coming down.

Skarlet - who was now the front runner for the Forces of Light - tilted her head up to witness Tremor soar down from his high elevation - before bringing his fist down and smashing it on the ground.

The impact caused the ground beneath them to tremble, opening up a large crack which fissured sideways, causing a large split between the two opposing sides.

Skarlet felt the ground beneath her collapse piece by piece, as Tremor had created an extremely deep and large crevasse. _Shit, shit, shit! Gotta act quick! _The Hemomancer thought, as her body was already reacting, sprinting and jumping from falling rock to falling rock.

Skarlet kept jumping and dashing up on to higher falling pieces of rock, eventually making it back up to the surface before jump flipping over Tremor. She twisted mid-air, landing in a crouch position behind the brown garbed ninja.

Skarlet then slashed as hard as she could across his Tremor's lower back and used her power to make the blood spray out of his body and on to her. The Hemomancer immediately felt Tremor's immense strength and energy, enter her body, as it had healed her the second it came into contact with her skin.

The Forces of Light all continued charging forward, with Fujin using his power to blast a large gust of wind to help them all leap over the wide crevasse. The Forces of Light all sailed over the deep fissure in a single bound.

**The two sides then clashed, and engaged in an epic battle.**

Kia and Jataaka, two assassins who served Quan Chi along with Sareena, were surprised to see their Demoness friend charging alongside the enemy. They both halted their advance.

"SAREENA!?" the two cried out in tandem, before exchanging a look.

Lord Raiden then sailed up high above the fighting - summoning up all the strength and power he could - before unleashing the most powerful and devastating lightning charges he had ever released.

Multiple large, and thick thunderbolts crashed down all over on the Forces of Darkness, breaking their lines and battle formations.

Motaro, Nitara, Hsu Hao, and Mavado were only but a few of whom were electrocuted and disrupted. Lord Raiden's mighty attack also caused the offensive line of Goro, Shao Kahn, and Kintaro, all to leap out of the way - in multiple directions - to avoid being hit.

Fujin then used his powers to launch multiple tornados which slammed into them, sending two of the three large beasts, far and away. Shao Kahn was the only one of the three remaining.

"**A pathetic attempt, by a pathetic God…" **Shao Kahn boasted, his eyes glowing red, signalling that he was also under Quan Chi's sorcery.

The Warlord then stomped forward, forging his large Wrath Hammer. Shao Kahn then swung the mighty green-glowing weapon with excessive force, aiming to splatter the Wind God with it.

Fujin channelled all of his energy and gusted a powerful blast of wind to try and propel the Wrath Hammer backwards. His effort failed as the large green hammer kept spinning towards him.

Shujinko ran and tackled the God of Wind, preventing him from being smashed by the Wrath Hammer.

Shujinko then used what telekinetic powers he had - concentrating hard - to lift Shao Kahn high up into the air, before slamming the Warlord face first into the ground.

_**Scorpion and Ermac vs. Kenshi**_

Kenshi had engaged Scorpion, and the two fought hard using their swords.

The Hell-spawned Spectre had two swords - to Kenshi's single Seto - on top of his other abilities and advantages, but the Blind Swordsman held his own against the Wraith.

"**You pathetic, blind fool! You think you can challenge me!?" **Scorpion cussed.

Kenshi ignored the Spectre's remark, instead focusing on the fight and trying to score a fatal blow.

_**Cling! Clang! Cling! **_The swords sparked against each other.

Kenshi ducked a double-swipe attempt by Scorpion, before coming up with a slash across the Demon's chest.

"**Grahhhh!**" Scorpion cried out, before trying to retaliate with his powerful spear.

"**Get over here!**" The Spectre yelled, as he shot out the powerful Spear from his palm.

Kenshi managed to swing and smash the spearhead with his sword, sending it away like a baseball during a homerun.

Scorpion detached the chain before disappearing in a flash of flames , and reappearing behind the Blind Swordsman to punish him with a devastating Hellfire Punch.

Kenshi was knocked to the ground.

The Spectre then pulled off his mask - revealing his flaming skull - before spewing fire at the fallen Swordsman.

Fujin who was currently engaging Sheeva, witnessed Scorpion's attack and quickly sent a gust of wind to blow back the Spectre's powerful flames. Scorpion continued to spit-out fire, trying to force his element through the God of Wind's resistance. A struggle ensued as both fire and wind clashed in an epic struggle.

Kenshi managed to recover and roll out of the way, as Fujin let up on his counter-attack.

Scorpion then managed to launch another Spear - and was successful this time, as he struck the Blind Swordsman on the right shoulder. The spear tip lodged itself in Kenshi's flesh, piercing through his body armour.

"**GET THE FUCK OVER HERE!" **Scorpion managed to growl again, before pulling the Blind Swordsman in, and devastating him with a powerful uppercut.

Kenshi was launched upward, but before he could start to fall back down, he was caught by Ermac's telekinetic energy, and _slammed _back down with excessive force.

_**Sareena vs. Mileena, Jade, and Kitana**_

Sareena was confronted and surrounded by the trio of Kitana, Jade, and Mileena. The three resurrected women surrounded and circled the lonesome Demoness, with their weapons drawn.

Kitana had her bladed-fans drawn out, while Jade wielded her Bo. Mileena held her pointy Sais firm, ready to pierce and stab away. She giggled and smiled a wicked smile behind her magenta mask.

"Alright ladies…Who's first?" Sareena called out, ready and willing to start dancing.

Kitana dove in first, swinging for Sareena's head with a sharp fan.

Sareena ducked the attack, but before she could retaliate with a swing of her own, Jade had already stepped in after Kitana, to smack Sareena across the back with her Bo.

"AHH!" The Demoness cried out in pain. She barely had time to absorb the hit before she needed to act quickly to avoid being punctured by Mileena lunging in with her Sais.

Sareena side stepped the Half-Tarkatan's attack, only to be punished by a swift kick from the Fallen Princess, Kitana. Sareena folded over from the hit, and Jade finally sent the Demoness to ground by cracking her Bo down across her back.

Sareena felt that her spine had received a few hairline fractures from the blow.

The three girls continued to punish the Demoness, as they each repeatedly kicked and stomped at the fallen Sareena.

Skarlet who had been busy fighting off Rain, shot a glance to see that her friend Sareena wasn't doing so well.

The Hemomancer back flipped away from her opponent, before turning and blitzing in to save the Demoness.

Skarlet shot into the air and jump-kicked Kitana out of the way, before slicing Mileena on the arm, and ducking a powerful swing from Jade's staff. She then retaliated by launching a pair of Kunai, with both of them finding the Edenian's gut. The Hemomancer then stood by her friend, keeping her eyes fixed on the three attackers.

Jade flinched from the attack, but managed to recover quickly before yanking out the blades with ease. Being under Quan Chi's spell also meant less focus on pain from her warped mind.

All three pairs of eyes of the undead females continued to glow red as they charged the Sareena and Skarlet duo.

* * *

_**BI-HAN**_

_Bi-Han found himself in complete darkness. He wondered if he was in the plane of the living or dead, or somewhere in between. A figure even darker than the darkness itself, materialized in front of him. It was Bi-Han himself, as Noob Saibot._

_It was as if Bi-Han was staring at a mirror. _

_Behind Noob, another figure slowly emerged from the shadows. It was Bi-Han himself again, but this time as the original Sub-Zero. He had come to regain control of their divided soul._

_Bi-Han was now staring at two different versions of himself, and couldn't wrap his mind around what was happening. Suddenly, Noob Saibot turned to face Sub-Zero, and the two clashed in an epic confrontation, with neither being able to out duel the other. Bi-Han tried to move -but couldn't, as he could only watch as two versions of himself battled. _

_He felt enormous pressure in his body, as if a foreign power was forcing its way inside of him, like it was trying to cleanse or purify his mind, body, and soul. As the power continued to course through his body, Bi-Han saw that the original Sub-Zero was beginning to take control of the battle against Noob Saibot. The pressure was becoming more intense, and Bi-Han could not contain himself any longer. He felt like his body had wanted to explode and burst open, releasing all of the power that it harnessed._

_Sub-Zero was making the move to defeat Noob Saibot, and with one last powerful strike to the Wraith's chest, an explosion of light erupted from Noob Saibot's heart. The light consumed Bi-Han, and the built-up pressure inside his body had finally burst through._

_Bi-Han let out a piercing cry, releasing himself to the light._

* * *

He opened his eyes -still screaming - as he suddenly found himself in a chamber of some sort, tied down to a chair.

Bi-Han gasped in shock.

He then looked up to see his brother, Kuai Liang, smiling at him.

Bi-Han quickly then looked down at his body, and saw that it had been restored. Although he was still wearing the black uniform Noob Saibot had worn, Bi-Han saw that he was once again made of flesh, and could not believe his eyes. He was given a second chance at life.

He looked back up at his brother, who still had a surreal expression on his face. Kuai Liang was more than happy to see his _real_ brother again.

Bi-Han no longer harboured the hate, the evil, or the anger which had corrupted his soul. The memories as Noob Saibot were nothing but distant blurs, and the honour, discipline, and heart he once had as a warrior, had returned.

"Kuai Liang?" he asked.

"It is good to see you again brother. I thank the Elder Gods that this worked." The younger Sub-Zero stated, looking down at the Medallion on his brother's chest.

Bi-Han looked down to see the Dragon Medallion that the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei wore, was attached to his chest.

"The Dragon Medallion! What has happened to me? How is this possible?" The elder Sub-Zero asked wildly.

Kuai Liang then walked up to his brother, and began to untie him.

"I have much to explain to you brother. But I am afraid the situation is dire, and we must make haste."

"Why? What has happened?"

The younger Sub-Zero gave his brother a look as he was undoing the last knots that bound Bi-Han's legs.

The elder Sub-Zero knew the answer, just by the look on his younger brother's face.

"…The Battle of Armageddon…" Bi-Han said softly. He still could not believe everything that was happening. It was as if reality had sped-up, leaving him behind while he went through his transformation.

Kuai Liang walked over to the nearest concrete island, retrieving something before turning back to face his brother.

"This belongs to you…" The younger Sub-Zero said, holding out his brother's original uniform.

Bi-Han looked down at the blue and black combat attire, and was never more happy to don those colours once again. He smiled as he took them.

"Thank you Kuai Liang. I am very thankful for everything you have done, and that you have not given up on me. I am so very proud of you, and what you have accomplished. You have done our family, and our clan well..." Bi-Han said, taking off the Dragon Medallion and offering it back to his brother.

Kuai Liang gently pushed the crest back.

"It will give me great honour if you were to now lead us, and the clan, brother. I relinquish the title of Lin Kuei Grandmaster to you. I have always looked up, and aspired to be you. Please, do me this honour." Kuai Liang said, as he bowed before his sibling.

"I am the one is honoured, but I cannot accept this. The Dragon Medallion is something that is earned and not simply received. You have earned it, and the right to be Lin Kuei Grandmaster." Bi-Han insisted, as he placed the Artefact on his brother's chest.

"But do not think for one second, that I will ever call you Master. Got it?" Bi-Han joked, as he grabbed the back of his brother's head and gently shook it.

Kuai Liang chuckled. "Absolutely not, brother."

"Now let us hurry."

* * *

_**Back on Edenia.**_

After taking a brief early lead, the Forces of Light were now on the defensive, and taking a severe beating from the Forces of Darkness.

Kai, Bo Rai Cho, and Li Mei all had there hands full, as they had engaged Kobra, Kira, and Reiko.

Kai was exchanging hard with Kobra, who was an excellent street fighter and kick boxer.

The Monk's Shaolin style clashed with Kobra's, and Kai found it difficult fighting the brawler, due to the unfamiliarity of his techniques.

Li Mei was holding her own against Kira, until Hotaru impaled her through the back with his Naginata, while Kira finished her off by plunging her Dragon Teeth Daggers, deep into her neck.

"Li Mei! Noooooo!" Bo Rai Cho screamed, as he witnessed the death of his student.

Li Mei became the first causality in The Battle of Armageddon.

_**Battlefield Left: Sonya Blade vs Jax**_

Sonya Blade charged ahead, and stopped dead in her tracks, as the undead Jax confronted her. His red glowing eyes gave nothing away, as he was programmed to do nothing other than attack.

Even if it was against his former partner.

The Lieutenant's heart sank in her chest, at the sight of her fallen superior. _Oh no, please don't make me do this._

"Jax! Listen to me! We don't have to do this! You can fight this thing off! You are stronger than what is controlling you!" Sonya pleaded.

Major Jackson "Jax" Briggs was already dead, and the mind-controlled zombie that resembled his body, ignored Sonya as he charged at her.

"JAX! NO!" Sonya Blade screamed, as she had to duck a wild right hook from one of Jax's cybernetically-enhanced arms. Even if she had blocked it, one strike from Jax's powerful mechanical arms would crush her into mush.

The Special Forces Major then brought his fists to the ground, sending a powerful shockwave that sent Sonya skyward, before catching both her legs as she fell, and power-bombing her to the ground with force.

The back of the Lieutenants head, and spine crunched against the surface.

"AHH!" she yelled, as she clutched her head with both hands.

Sonya barely had any time to recover, as she had to roll out of the way as Jax threw a punch down towards her, shattering the very ground she had just laid on milliseconds ago.

The Lieutenant drove her heel as hard as she could into his crotch, folding the Major over. She then proceeded to deliver a powerful uppercut, sending Jax skyward in return, making him crash land a couple of meters away.

Sonya didn't have time to acknowledge what she had just done, as an undead Stryker, ran in and tackled her to the ground from behind.

_**Johnny Cage vs Kabal.**_

"SONYA!" Johnny Cage yelled, as he rushed to his woman's aid.

But before Johnny could reach her, he was slammed and sliced by a blinding fast figure.

It was Kabal, who blitzed-by the Movie Star in a Raging Flash, slicing him across the arms and chest in the process with his Hookswords.

Johnny collapsed to the ground, but grit his teeth and managed to recover quickly, forcing himself up.

Kabal then blitzed at him again, but Johnny Cage summoned his own speed and counter attacked with a Green Shadow Kick to the Masked Warrior's chin, sending him flying back.

The Masked Warrior crashed to the ground and slid, as a trail of dust kicked up around him.

Kabal readjusted his dented mask before standing up and retaking a fighting stance.

Johnny bounced up and down where he stood, awaiting the Masked Warrior's next move.

Kabal tried blitzing the Action Star once again, but Johnny Cage unleashed his green plasmic fireball.

The speedy fighter leapt over the projectile and used one of his Hookswords to slash the Movie star across the face, knocking his sunglasses off.

_**Battlefield Center: Lord Raiden vs. Nightwolf and Kung Lao.**_

Raiden flew down to join the battle, but was soon confronted by his old allies, Nightwolf and Kung Lao, who had both rushed in front of the Thunder God.

"Nightwolf, Kung Lao. It disheartens me to see you both like this…" The Thunder God stated sombrely.

"The feeling is mutual, Haokah..." Nightwolf replied, before lunging at the Thunder God.

* * *

Far off and high above the battlefield, the Demi-God, Taven, leapt out of a swirling green portal.

"At last! Home in Edenia…" Taven said to himself, before pausing after hearing a loud commotion emanating from the Southlands.

"Oh no! Am I too late?" The Demi-God asked himself.

"**Yes brother**, _**you are**_**!**"

Taven was stunned to hear a familiar voice call out from behind him.

It was Daegon.

* * *

Back in Outworld, the large body of ice that held the Dragon King, Onaga, began to melt.

* * *

_**Battlefield Right: Skarlet and Sareena, vs. Kitana, Jade, and Mileena.**_

Jade swung her Bo at Skarlet, who blocked the strike with both of her swords. Jade flipped the pole behind her neck - holding it with both hands - before spinning rapidly towards the Hemomancer and swinging the Bo out, using her right hand at the last second to smack Skarlet across her pretty face.

The Hemomancer's head was rapidly whipped to the side from the impact, as she was then greeted by Kitana, who used one her sharp-bladed fans to slice Skarlet across her left thigh.

The Hemomancer dropped to one knee, and used her fancy footwork to quickly spin around and leg sweep the Princess. Kitana was tripped up and fell, as Skarlet then stood and delivered a lightning quick round-house-kick to the face of the approaching Jade.

Sareena clashed and banged with Mileena.

The two vixens hacked, and clawed at each other, as their weapons were spread out on the floor.

Mileena drove her shapely knee hard into Sareena's midsection, and followed up with a powerful right cross.

The Demoness returned the favour, using a straight right to crunch Mileena's nose, before delivering a straight left-kick to her abdomen.

Mileena flinched, before she ripping off her mask, revealing two rows of long, sharp, and deadly teeth. The Half-Tarkatan then soared into a Leaping Neckbite, landing and latching herself onto Sareena, before proceeding to chomp away at her neck.

Blood squirted out of the Demoness' neck as she struggled to remove Mileena off of her.

"Ahhh! Get off!" Sareena screamed in agony.

Skarlet saw Sareena in trouble and launched a Kunai blade which found the Half-Tarkatan's back.

Mileena tossed her back and howled in pain, as the mini spear had buried itself into her spine.

Sareena then hoisted the Half-Tarkatan high, before slamming her hard onto the ground.

Kitana stood side by side with Jade, who wiped the blood from her mouth.

"Let us destroy this scantily-clad pixie." The Princess suggested.

"Agreed. She shall not live another minute of her pathetic life." Jade replied, as the two Edenians took a fighting stance in tandem.

Skarlet turned to face her attackers.

Kitana leapt high into the air, and launched her bladed-fans at Skarlet.

The Hemomancer leapt over the projectiles, but was soon caught by Jade's Razor-Rang, which sliced her across the shoulder.

Skarlet dropped to the ground, clutching the open laceration on her right deltoid.

She then looked up to see both Kitana and Jade, charging her at full speed ahead.

The Hemomancer stood up to face her attackers - but then she was suddenly being blown back by a powerful force, as Rain had attacked Skarlet with his Water Blast.

The high-pressure stream of water continued to punish the sleek assassin, hard into the ground. Skarlet felt her body become tenderized from the relentless assault of the hydro-cannons.

The Hemomancer struggled to breathe, as she couldn't buy a breath of air. Rain pushed his fire hose-like attack and finally let up to stalk his opponent.

"_Sub-Zero… where are you_…?" Skarlet groaned to herself, as she struggled through the pain.

* * *

_**The Battle has only just begun…**_

* * *

**Part 2 notes.**

**-** I will be unleashing Sindel on F.O.L (Forces of Light) pretty soon. As if they don't have their hands full already.

- Expect more casualties for both sides.

- Taven vs. Daegon

- Onaga and Liu Kang will be joining the battle too.


	19. Battle of Armageddon Pt 2 Despair

**CHAPTER XIX**

**THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON PART 2**

_**Despair ~**_

* * *

_**The war to end all wars had begun. Greatly outnumbered and overmatched, Lord Raiden's Forces of Light began to crumble under the might of Lord Shinnok and the Forces of Darkness.**_

Skarlet was on all fours while coughing out water, as she tried to recover from Rain's relentless assault.

The Hydromancer slowly stalked his prey, and had every intention of pounding his victory out of the young woman. He then kicked the Hemomancer onto her back and used his right foot to pin her shoulder.

Rain held a palm out - pointed in the direction of Skarlet's face - and proceeded to blast the Hemomancer with water, trying to drown her.

Skarlet rapidly whipped her face from side to side, trying desperately to gasp in air and avoid drowning. All she got were gulps of water, as high pressure buried her face. She summoned the adrenaline through sheer will power, and shot a well placed kick straight to Rain's crotch, folding the Hydromancer over.

Skarlet then grabbed Rain's ankle with both hands, before wrapping her legs around the leg that he used to pin her. The Hemomancer then proceeded to torque her hips, causing the Hydromancer to fall over, while she locked on a knee-bar submission hold.

Rain scrambled in pain and clawed at Skarlet, who tightened her leg lock. The Hydromancer screamed in pain as the sleek Tracker then cranked on his leg, bending his knee backwards and braking the joint.

"AHHHHHHH, You bitch!" Rain screamed, as Skarlet let go.

She stood up, pulling out a sword to finish her job - when she was suddenly flying, a result from being smashed from behind by a powerful punch.

"I'm not done with you, woman…"

It was Tremor, and he apparently had survived Skarlet's initial attack on him during the beginning of the fight. The brown clad ninja was shuffling forward in pain, still using one hand to clutch at his bleeding lower back.

Skarlet recovered after crash landing and sliding in the dust. She then held up a hand to summon and gush-out more blood from Tremor's wide-open wound.

"ARRRGGHHHH!" The well muscled ninja cried out.

The blood raced towards Skarlet and crawled up into her skin, empowering her once more. She then dashed towards Tremor before jump kicking him into his own crevasse, the one he created during the start of the war.

Tremor screamed as he fell to his death, and into the waiting lava far below.

_**Lord Raiden vs. Nightwolf and Kung Lao.**_

"Nightwolf! No!" Lord Raiden shouted, as the Shaman lunged for him.

The Thunder God leapt into the air to avoid the attack, but Kung Lao - who was behind Nightwolf - also jumped to launch his Razor-Rimmed Hat at Raiden. The sharp and heavy projectile crashed into the left side of the God of Thunder's chest and arm. Had it not been for Raiden's body armour, the damage from Kung Lao's hat would have been much more.

The Thunder God was knocked back in mid-air, before dropping to the ground.

Nightwolf was quick to jump in and attack his former friend and ally.

Lord Raiden managed to recover quickly enough to block the Shaman's first few strikes, countering with swift kicks, punches, and chops. Nightwolf scored a successful hit with an upswing of his Tomahawk Axe. The Thunder God was sliced up across the torso and lifted into the air. Nightwolf completed the combo by knocking Raiden back with a green-glowing Shoulder Charge.

Kung Lao rushed in and started stomping on the Thunder God.

(_**X-Ray Move**_)

Lord Raiden responded by double punching Kung Lao with a small electrical charge, before teleporting behind him in a fury of blue light, and elbowing him in the back, damaging Kung Lao's spine, ribs and heart. Raiden then teleported in front of the Shaolin Monk and delivered a forehead-cracking chop, damaging his skull. Finally, Lord Raiden channelled a portion of his energy into a small ball of electricity and presented it to Kung Lao's face. The small charge then exploded, frying the Monk's mug and sending him on his back.

Nightwolf then came from behind to attempt another shoulder charge, but Fujin - who was nearby - assisted Lord Raiden by blasting a large gust of wind that sent the Shaman tumbling down into the large crevasse, courtesy of Tremor.

Raiden then grabbed Kung Lao by the back of his uniform before taking to the sky.

"Forgive me, old friend… But I will now ease your passing." The Thunder God said, before letting go of the Monk high in the air.

Kung Lao fell towards the ground, as Fujin was sure to blast another gust of wind to push the Monk towards the crack, and making him tumble down into the deep fissure as well.

"Thank you Fujin…" Lord Raiden stated, before quickly scanning the battlefield.

Rain - who was crawling on the ground - lifted a palm up to try and nail Skarlet with another Aqua Blast. She easily avoided his projectile by back flipping out of harm's way.

Rain blasted once more, but this time with a large stream of water.

"_DUCK!" _Skarlet heard Lord Raiden shout behind her, as she went low and saw The Thunder God swoosh-in from above, and shoot a blast of lightning at Rain's hydro beam.

The electricity traveled through the continuous water as it was conducted to do so, and shocked Rain, who was the source of the stream. After a big flash of light, and a puff of smoke later, the Hydromancer was rendered unconscious.

Lord Raiden continued flying through the battlefield, blasting bolts of lightning and electrocuting various members of the Forces of Darkness.

_**Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage, vs. Stryker, Kabal, and Jax.**_

Kurtis Stryker had mounted Sonya Blade and was pummelling her.

The Lieutenant did her best to cover up and block some of the strikes, but the SWAT member found his mark on several of his attempts. Sonya bobbed her head to one side while Stryker punched the ground after missing her face. Sonya then grabbed the policeman's arm and bent it into an awkward submission lock behind his back. The Lieutenant desperately tried to hold on to the submission, but Stryker muscled out of it and continued his ground-and-pound assault.

Meanwhile, Johnny Cage was having problems of his own as he had his hands full with Kabal. The blinding-fast Masked Man kept blitzing by, and tossing the Movie Star into a dizzying spin. Johnny almost puked from being spun so much and the he had to drop to the floor intentionally, just to halt Kabal's attacks.

The Action Star managed to look up, trying his best to target the incoming enemy. _Focus Johnny, focus… _his inner voice told him, as he used extreme concentration to get a lock on Kabal. Johnny Cage then quickly shot up, and fired a green Plasmic Fireball which arched high before slamming into the rushing Kabal.

The Masked Man was knocked skyward by the projectile, and a soaring-by Lord Raiden added to the attack by blasting a bolt of electricity to the airborne Kabal on the back. The combined energy was enough to fry the Masked Man's respirator system, and put him down for the count.

Johnny saluted the Thunder God, before quickly dashing to Sonya Blade's rescue with a powerful Green Shadow Kick to Stryker's chin, knocking the SWAT member off Sonya and breaking his neck.

Sonya Blade smiled as Johnny pulled her up, only to yank him out of the way as she saw a surviving Kabal charge towards the couple. The Lieutenant flipped forward into a handstand and leg-grabbed the Masked Man's head with her feet, before pulling him over and slamming him hard into the ground.

"Nice move, babe." Johnny Cage said in admiration.

"Thanks." Sonya said, before retaking on a serious demeanour as she saw Jax approach them.

The Lieutenant sighed deeply as she knew that she would have to honour her former superior by way of mercy kill. Sonya then clanged her wrists together, and sent out ring-like fireballs towards Jax. Johnny Cage assisted his woman by launching a Plasmic Green Fireball as well to further increase damage, and ensure that Jax would be given a proper send-off. Sonya couldn't stand seeing him like this.

The projectiles rocketed towards the Major, who then used his powerful mechanical arms to deflect the energy blasts.

_**Sareena vs. Kitana, Mileena, and Jade.**_

Sareena was taking a severe beating at the hands of the Edenian Trio.

The Demoness absorbed every hit, slam, slash, punch, and kick the girls could dish out.

"Is that all you chicks got?" Sareena asked, wiping blood from her mouth.

Jade and Kitana exchanged a look before charging her again. Sareena leapt into the air as Jade tried coming in with a leg sweep, but the Demoness was cut-off midair by Kitana who leapt into the air - with her back facing Sareena - and used her fans to launch and slam herself into the Demoness.

Sareena crashed to the ground, where a waiting Mileena pounced on her and started swiping away. Sareena managed to roll the sharp-toothed woman off her, but was met with a swift kick to the gut by a rushing Jade.

The Edenian trio stomped away on the fallen Sareena, and all Kia and Jataaka could do was watch.

"What do we do?" Jataaka asked, looking at Kia with concern in her eyes.

The pair of assassins still served Quan Chi and were currently on the Forces of Darkness. However the two of them along with Sareena grew close and formed a tight bond with one another, serving both Lord Shinnok and the Sorcerer in the Netherrealm. The three of them worked well as a unit and had encountered the original Sub-Zero, Bi-Han, many years ago, when he was sent on a mission to retrieve an amulet from the sorcerer.

It was painful to see someone whom they considered a sister, fighting alongside the enemy and getting beaten down.

"To _Hell with this_!" Kia shook her head and spat, before rushing in to Sareena's aid.

The sultry demon jump kicked Kitana out of the way, while Jataaka did the same with Jade. Sareena then stood up and gave Mileena a powerful uppercut, before turning to see her saviours.

"Kia! Jataaka!" Sareena screamed with glee, instantly hugging the two women she considered sisters.

"We've got your back, girl." Kia said.

"Forget Quan Chi! We will stand and fight beside you until the end!" Jataaka added.

The three Gothic-looking Demon-Girls then all took a fighting stance, as the Edenian trio of Jade, Kitana, and Mileena regrouped and approached.

"Let's show these bitches how it's done!" Kia chanted, as the three of them then charged the Edenians full-on.

* * *

_**Outworld**_

The solid block of ice encasing the Dragon King melted just enough for Onaga to start shattering, and breaking through. It wasn't long before the frozen tomb that Sub-Zero and Frost had to combine efforts to make, was destroyed. Onaga had broken free, and saw a portal awaiting him far off in the distance. The Dragon King then spread his wings and soared towards it.

"**Those puny Earthrealmers will pay!" **Onaga roared.

* * *

_**Back on Edenia.**_

Jax charged Sonya and Johnny after their futile attempts to write him off were unsuccessful.

"Oh, _SHIT_!" Johnny screamed, as the large black man charged towards them.

Sonya shoved Johnny out of the way, as she charged Jax in return. The Lieutenant rocketed into the air and delivered a powerful Flying Kick to the Major's chest, which sent him stumbling back, but was not enough to knock the large man off of his feet.

Skarlet had rushed in from out of nowhere and slid in on her knees, slicing Jax behind the leg, cutting a vital tendon.

The Major dropped to one knee, and Sonya found the opportunity to finish off her commanding officer. She then channelled her energy into her palm, and blew a Flaming Kiss which burned Jax's body into black dust.

"Goodbye Jax... Rest in peace…" Sonya said softly, as the ambers continued to float around her.

"Thanks Skarlet…" she said, looking up at the Hemomancer.

"I am sorry for your loss. I knew you two were very close."

Sonya Blade brushed off the gesture, choosing to refocus on the mission instead of grieving.

"It's what Jax would've wanted if he knew what was happening…Come on, let's go get 'em!" she said, tapping Skarlet on the shoulder before rushing off to war.

* * *

Far from the battlefield, Taven faced his brother Daegon, who had turned on him; trying many times to eliminate and prevent the Demigod from completing his quest. He wanted 'The Prize' all for himself and there was nothing, and nobody - including his own flesh and blood - that was going to take that away from him.

"Your quest has been corrupted, brother. You're finding out that all did not go exactly as our mother had foreseen it." Daegon said, looking fiercely at his brother. "However, this quest concludes when one of us defeats Blaze at the Pyramid of Argus, in kombat. Many warriors are already at war, and if one of them defeats the Elemental, they will steal the prize and the true purpose of the quest will have failed. Armageddon will be upon us all!"

"I want nothing to do with this quest. My business is with you!" Taven spat in disgust, referring to the fact that Daegon had murdered their parents - His _own _mother and father - whom Daegon considered an obstacle on his path to obtaining unimaginable power.

Daegon challenged his brother. "You have no choice! We are all bound to the quest! The fate of the realms will be decided today. So if you don't mind, brother, let's get this over with! I have waited an eternity for this moment!"

"When this is over, I am going to _finish you!_" Taven screamed, before charging at his brother with incredible speed.

Daegon easily side-stepped his brother's charge and stuck a foot out to trip his brother up, sending the Demigod rolling on the floor, using his own momentum.

"You used to be faster than me. Last time we raced through Father's temple I believe you won. Seems like only yesterday…" Daegon boasted, clearly appeased with himself.

"It was yesterday." Taven replied, making it back up to his feet.

"I suppose it was…for you. But I was awakened prematurely. Over the millennia I've grown much faster, much stronger. This time my victory is assured."

"The only thing that is assured is that you will pay for killing Mother and Father!"

"So you know. Yes, I killed them. I had to! Lord Shinnok warned me that they had decided to assist you!"

Taven could not believe his brother's insanity. "You killed them over the prize?!"

"With the very weapons Father gave us to use against Blaze." Daegon replied, pulling out two large swords that were sheathed behind his back. "And now I will use them to destroy you**. Fight**!" he screamed, charging his brother.

"Rrragghhhh" Taven roared as he blitzed his brother in kind, his fists glowing with flames as the Demigod siblings both had the power to manipulate fire.

Daegon lunged towards his brother, swiping with his large swords to try and decapitate his sibling. Taven quickly ducked, and delivered a flaming uppercut which sent the Demigod skyward. Taven did not given his brother the chance to land, as he pushed forward with a combo, landing blow after blow which sent shockwaves throughout Edenia.

The Demigod brothers were much more faster, stronger, and more powerful than any of the other Kombatants that were involved with the Battle of Armageddon.

Taven finished off his combo with a massive slash of his flaming Drakesword, which sent Daegon flying across the ancient overlook on which they were fighting on. Had it not been for his own special armour given to him by their mother, Daegon surely would've taken much more damage.

The Demigod crashed, and slid back on the stone floor, before quickly recovering - and in blinding fast speed, shoulder charged his brother in retaliation. Taven crashed against a stone barrier, crumbling it into rubble.

"Is that all you've got?!" Taven taunted, as he quickly shot back up and tried to tackle his brother.

Daegon welcomed his sibling with a powerful kick to the chest, which sent him hurtling back. Taven recovered and pulled out his Drakesword, and swung hard at his brother.

_**CLANG!**_

The powerful weapons clashed together, as the two brothers then tried their best to out duel each other. They both moved with grace, power, and speed, as their movements would've have been far too difficult to follow with mere mortal eyes.

Daegon got the better of the exchange, as he slashed Taven hard across his shoulder, before kicking him square in the chest. The Demigod crashed against another stone barrier.

"Give it up brother. The prize belongs to me." Daegon stated.

* * *

_**Back at the Battle of Armageddon**_

Lord Shinnok and Quan Chi watched as the Forces of Light tried valiantly to make a rally.

Lord Raiden had done well supporting his fighters across the battlefield. He flew all over and assisted his team, by zapping various members of the Forces of Darkness with stabs of thunderbolts.

"Perhaps it is best if we now get involved. The Thunder God is beginning to believe he can win." Quan Chi suggested.

"Very well. He shall join the battle and crush Raiden's pathetic forces…" Lord Shinnok replied, before turning towards the sorcerer. "Summon her as well."

"Indeed." Quan Chi nodded, as he then lifted a green-glowing fist, making the damned soul of Queen Sindel materialize beside them.

"Go forth, and show no mercy. Kill all in your path!" Lord Shinnok ordered.

As if she were a robot awaiting command, the undead Sindel then nodded, before making her way towards the battlefield.

Lord Shinnok and Quan Chi followed behind her.

Kabal recovered from Sonya Blade's attack and rushed towards her. The Masked Man then blitzed by with quick speed and slashed the Lieutenant across the back with his hookswords.

"Ahhh!" Sonya screamed as she dropped to her knees. Blood coursing from her wound.

"_SONYA_!" Johnny Cage screamed, as he tried to rush in and save her. He was then jumped-kicked in the face by Kobra, who had intercepted and prevented him from making the rescue.

Kabal was speeding his way back towards Sonya to finish her off - when he ran over a puddle of blood, which then had four pillars thrust-up from out it, piercing his hands and feet. The Maksed Man was suspended in the air by the blood poles that held him, and watched in fear as he then saw Skarlet also materialize from the pool of blood. Kabal tried his best to break free but it was too late, as the Hemomancer then drew out a sword - winding back - before proceeding to slash him in half across his waistline.

"AHH, AHHHHH!" Kabal screamed as his blood rained over Skarlet, giving her more strength and energy. The Masked Man was no more.

Johnny Cage engaged Kobra, the both of them exchanging a myriad of kicks, chops, and attempted fist strikes.

The kickboxing Kobra was successful in delivering a hard knee into Johnny's sternum, folding the Action Star over.

Sonya leapt in and smashed the blonde street fighter across the face with a diving right hand.

"You bitch!" Kobra screamed, as he clutched his left cheek.

"Yo man, don't call my girl a bitch!" Johnny yelled, as he shadow kicked the street brawler.

Sonya took a knee, as the cut across her back continued to bleed.

"Damn it…" she hissed, as the wound was beginning to give her some major discomfort.

_**Ermac and Scorpion vs. Kenshi and Skarlet.**_

The blind swordsman was taking a beating at the hands of the powerful duo, as Ermac held Kenshi in a green telekinetic grip, as Scorpion pounded away on him with flaming fists.

"**It is time for you to die, swordsman!**" Scorpion growled, as he reached behind his back, unsheathing one of his dual swords.

The Hell-spawn Spectre swung the blade hard at Kenshi's skull, but instead of slicing through flesh and bone, Scorpion' sword clashed against the metal of Skarlet's own sharp steel.

"**YOU!**" The Spectre yelled, surprised at the Hemomancer's sudden appearance.

"Did you miss me?" Skarlet asked, before snap-kicking the Hell-spawn in the chest. The strike drove Scorpion back, as Skarlet quickly followed up with an up-slash with her swords, before initiating a short combination of jabs, knees, and slices. The Spectre however, countered her in mid-combo, using a '_Breaker' _and smashing the sleek assassin back with a flaming overhand-right.

"**That, I've missed!**" Scorpion snapped, referring to the abuse he had shown Skarlet back in Outworld.

Skarlet kicked-back up and quickly launched two fast Kunai Blades that struck Scorpion in the chest.

"**Argh!**" The Hell-Spawn growled, stumbling back.

Ermac dropped Kenshi to the ground as he made his way over to face his former pupil.

"**There is no running from us now! You shall die by our hands today!**" Ermac declared.

"Why don't you do me a favour and just _stay dead._" Skarlet shot back.

"**You cannot truly ever kill us! We shall live forever!**" Ermac's many voices echoed.

"Then let's put that to the test!" Skarlet said with determination. She then charged her former master, putting effort and skill behind her wild swings. Ermac ducked the first slice, blocked the second, before launching the Hemomancer back with his green-glowing telekinetic energy.

Skarlet crashed against the recovering Kenshi, as the two warriors were sent rolling back. Their bodies tumbled over and under each other, before sliding to a halt in the dirt.

"Argh…I am _never_ going to get used to that… Sorry Kenshi... And thanks for breaking my fall…" Skarlet groaned, lifting her face up from the sand.

"Don't mention it." The Swordsman replied, pushing himself up.

The Earthrealm fighters made it to their feet and saw two projectiles already heading their way. One was a green Force Ball from Ermac, while the other was Scorpion's Spear.

Time seemed to slow down as Skarlet shoved Kenshi out of the way, before spinning into a low crouch, and launching another pair of lightning-fast Kunai Blades at the attackers.

The two blades each found their mark, as one had buried itself in Scorpion's abdomen, while the other found Ermac's left quadriceps.

"**Grah!**" "**Argh!**" The two roared in tandem, as they each clutched at their new stinging wounds.

Kenshi - using his own telekinetic powers - then unleashed a Telekinetic Slash to slice Ermac and Scorpion from a distance, knocking the two off their feet.

"What an impressive move!" Skarlet complimented Kenshi, as she had never seen an attack so visually stunning.

"Thanks! Let's finish these guys!" he replied, before rushing off to complete the job.

Scorpion and Ermac however, had other plans as they both disappeared - using similar attacks - to Hellfire and Teleport punch the charging duo. Scorpion smashed Kenshi hard, sending the Swordsman flying, while Ermac stunned Skarlet.

The Hell-spawn then raised his palms up in fury, summoning fire to rise beneath the duo.

Skarlet didn't even have time to think as she leapt to tackle Kenshi out of the way, as the flame tips rose up to incinerate her. The Hemomancer landed on top of the Swordsman.

"Sorry, had to do it!" Skarlet panted, before rolling off of him to leap up in the air once again, disappearing in a splash of blood, to teleport above and behind Scorpion. She then came down hard and fast, slashing the Spectre with a Blood Drop.

Kenshi had engaged Ermac, as the two struggled in a telekinetic battle.

Onaga burst through the portal and immediately killed Kai, the first warrior he set his eyes on, once entering the battlefield. The Dragon King knocked the Monk off his feet and promptly stomped on him, crushing Kai into a fleshy mush.

Lord Raiden who had been hovering above the battlefield, witnessed the entire thing.

"May the Elder Gods have mercy us…" The Thunder God whispered to himself, as he then shot-off to meet the Dragon King, but was interrupted by Lord Shinnok who jump-kicked the God of Thunder to the ground.

The Fallen Elder God then summoned large skeletal hands to erupt from the ground underneath Raiden, and close tight around the Thunder God. Lord Shinnok's hands emanated purple light as he controlled the demonic hands to squeeze the God of Thunder to death. Lord Raiden managed to yank an arm free to blast the Fallen Elder God away with a zap of lightning.

Raiden then broke free but was quickly knocked back to the ground by Onaga.

"**YOUR END HAS COME, RAIDEN. NOW I WILL FINISH WHAT I HAVE STARTED!" **The Dragon King growled in vengeance.

Lord Raiden teleported in a flash of light, reappearing above and behind the Dragon King before blasting him with electrical charges. As expected, the Thunder God's attack barely had any effect on Onaga, as the beast brushed the lightning off and soared towards the God of Thunder.

Knowing that the next few seconds would not end well, Lord Raiden quickly sped off, flying fast to lead the Dragon King away from the field. The Thunder God needed to buy time while devising a plan on how to stop the Dragon King once more. The Forces of Light surely had no chance with the giant beast roaming around.

_**Sareena, Kia, and Jataaka vs. Kitana, Jade and Mileena.**_

Sareena along with her fellow assassins Kia and Jataaka had engaged the Edenian trio of Jade, Kitana, and Mileena.

"Traitors to your own cause!" Kitana hissed at Kia, before trying to swipe at her with bladed-fans.

"Do you even know who, or what you're fighting for Kitana? You are fighting under Quan Chi's control!"

"Hold your tongue, you ignorant woman!" The Princess snapped, as she attacked, parried, and traded blows with the demonic assassin.

Jade was easily handled Jataaka, as she was the more experienced fighter.

Jade swung her Bo at Jataaka's legs, trying to trip the Demoness up. Jataaka hopped over the pole but Jade was quick to wield and thrust the end of the Bo, which knocked the Demoness in the face. Jataaka stumbled back from the hit and Jade continued by throwing her Razor-Rang to pierce the demonic assassin in the chest.

"Ah!" Jataaka hissed.

She grabbed for the projectile that was lodged above her left breast before looking up to see that Jade had leapt high in the air before coming down, and smashing her Bo across her skull.

Sareena wrestled with Mileena, who managed to grab one of her Sais and plunge the tip of it into the Demoness' lower abdomen.

"Oww, you bitch!" Sareena hissed, as she retaliated by smashing the Half-Tarkatan across the face with a hard right hook. Pieces of Mileena's long jagged teeth flew out of her mouth as the Demoness followed through with the punch.

Sareena continued her attack by driving a hard knee deep into Mileena's midsection, and sealing it with an uppercut.

Mileena crashed in a heap a few meters away.

Kia launched her Boomerang Blades at Kitana, who easily swiped them away with her sharp-fans. The Princess then launched her own weapons at the sultry demonic assassin, who back flipped to avoid the fans as they sailed over her. Kitana then quickly rushed in, swiping and trying to claw at her. Kia thrust her forehead into Kitana's face, stunning, but also angering the Princess.

Kitana pulled down her mask to wipe away blood, before charging the Demoness in fury. The Princess sailed in the air and delivered a knee right into Kia's neck. The sultry demon grabbed at her throat as she coughed and choked hard, gasping for air.

Jade twirled the pole around herself masterfully, occasionally smashing and smacking Jataaka as she toyed with her.

"Although it has been fun, it is time to end this engagement." The Edenian said, as she prepared to finish the Netherrealm assassin.

Jade ducked a charge from Jataaka, before striking her with a hard uppercut. The demonic assassin sailed up high, while the Edenian positioned and planted her staff into the ground. Jade hit her mark, as Jataaka was impaled by the Bo, which she had crashed down on. _Fatality_.

"_Jataaka_!" Sarrena and Kia both cried out in tandem, at the sight of their fallen sister. They then watched as Jade yanked the Bo staff out, giving the two demon girls a twisted smile as they mourned.

Kia, who had been caught off guard by the death of her close friend, also fell victim to the very skilled, undead, and talented Edenian trio. Kia had her eyes on the body of the fallen Jataaka, as Kitana quickly took the opportunity to use her fans to slice off her arms, before slicing her head off at the jaw line. Another fatality.

Sareena's jaw dropped, as the reality of losing one friend was suddenly interrupted by the quick and unexpected loss of another. The Demoness had lost her two closest friends in a matter of seconds. Sareena had known Kia and Jataaka for years, and now they were gone, their lives being taken away in what seemed like only a few heartbeats.

"_NOOOO!_" Sareena screamed, the word stretching out for what seemed like an eternity. The Demoness charged the three Edenians, not caring that she did not stand a chance.

Jade was the first one to rush towards her, using her Bo to swing for Sareena's legs. She leapt over the attack and super-punched the oncoming Kitana, hard in the face. The Princesses' head whipped back from the force as Sareena continued to push through, using her Demon Fang to slash Mileena across the belly.

"AHHHHH!" Mileena shrieked, as she clutched at the large opening across her abdomen.

Sareena turned around to finish her off - when Jade's Bo cracked her in the face, tilting her head back in a whiplash. Kitana followed up by using her fans to slice Sareena once across her belly and the other to slash across her collarbone, just missing her neck.

The Demoness dropped to the ground as the three Edenians approached.

_**Skarlet and Kenshi vs. Ermac and Scorpion.**_

Skarlet and Kenshi tangled with Scorpion and Ermac, often switching up foes and rotating to throw their opponents off. The two sword-skilled warriors made a great team and were putting up a decent fight against the Hell-spawn and Soul-fused Ninja.

Skarlet gunned for Ermac as she wanted to kill her former master a second time, making sure that this one would be permanent.

She dodged the green Force Ball projectiles he blasted in her direction and was about to make her move when Quan Chi managed to strike her with a green skull. The Hemomancer fell to the ground but quickly recovered into a defensive crouch position, but slowly rose as she saw who her assailant was.

It was Quan Chi. The sorcerer who was responsible for Skarlet's mind control, and had nearly cost the Hemomancer not only her life, but Sub-Zero's as well. She was going to make him pay dearly.

Skarlet charged Quan Chi in fury, but was stopped as the Necromancer held his hands out facing her, which began to glow green with hypnotic power. All of a sudden, Skarlet could no longer feel her body anymore as her eyes went wide and unblinking. The only thing Skarlet could see were Quan Chi's hands glowing with green magic, and multiple unknown voices whispering in her head.

"Skarlet! No!" Kenshi yelled, as he tried to rush over to her aid. Ermac caught the Swordsman with green telekinesis, and repeatedly slammed him hard into the ground.

Skarlet closed her eyes tight, as a trance started to take over her mind, and was accompanied by massive intracranial pressure. _*Kill Lord Raiden* *Kill the others* *Kill, Kill, Kill!* Kill Sonya* *Kill all who opposed Lord Shinnok* *Kill them, Kill them all!* _the voices in her head whispered aggressively. *_Kill him* Kill the Cryomancer* *Kill Sub-Zero!* Kill him, Kill Sub-Zero NOW!* _The voices screamed. Skarlet dropped to one knee and clutched her head with both hands as the dark magic began to cause her pain. _No._

Skarlet opened her eyes as she tried hard to block out, and resist Quan Chi's sorcery. She concentrated hard on her own thoughts, desperately trying to keep the Necromancer out of her mind. Quan Chi's eyebrows cocked up as he saw that the Hemomancer was actually resisting mind control. The sorcerer shoved his green-glowing palms out further, forcing more power and effort into his hypnosis attack.

_*No! Do not fight! Listen to us!* *Kill the Thunder God!* *Kill Sub-Zero!*_ *_KILL SUB-ZERO!*_ _**NO**__. _The very thought of Sub-Zero only strengthened Skarlet's determination to fight off Quan Chi's mind control. She managed to keep her eyes open, focusing her thoughts hard on the man she loved. Skarlet noticed the ring Sub-Zero had given her on her finger, which motivated the Hemomancer to withstand any mental assault the sorcerer had up his sleeve. She let go of her head and stood up, staring at Quan Chi with intense eyes.

The Sorcerer stood in fear as he realized that Skarlet had been able to resist what others could not. The Necromancer started to stumble back, trembling, as the Hemomancer began to approach him.

Skarlet slowly unsheathed her swords, and looked very ready to do some damage.

"No, Skarlet please! I only seek to give you what you wanted. To return you to the warrior you use to be!" the Necromancer pleaded.

"You have no idea what I want…" Skarlet said, in a serious and deep tone.

Quan Chi backed up some more, before summoning two skeleton warriors from the ground using his green magic. He commanded the skeletons to attack Skarlet, but the sleek Tracker easily dispatched them with a few swipes of her swords, turning them into piles of bones.

Quan Chi turned and ran, while Skarlet prepared to chase him. The Hemomancer was then caught off by a high-pitched scream, courtesy of Sindel.

_**Enter Sindel.**_

The Queen's screaming sent purple-ringed shockwaves throughout the battlefield, causing all in the targeted vicinity to clutch their ears and drop.

"AHH! NOT HER AGAIN! MAKE IT STOP!" Johnny Cage yelled to no one in particular. He didn't care who, just as long as the Sindel would halt her attack.

The yelling didn't stop as Sindel advanced on the Earthrealm forces. The Queen planned on repeating the events of which had transpired in the Cathedral back on Earthrealm.

All members of the Forces of Light and even a few from the Forces of Darkness were crippled by Sindel's high pitched screaming.

Lord Raiden - who was soaring above and being chased by Onaga - could no longer concentrate and clutched his own ears. The momentary distaction caused him to slow down, allowing the Dragon King to catch up and slam the Thunder God. Raiden was sent hurtling towards the ground, crash landing within Sindel's range of attack.

Onaga dropped down behind the Thunder God and stomped towards him, ready to squash Raiden into a pile of pureed pulp. The Dragon King then looked up to see Shao Kahn, holding a dead Shujinko in one hand, and his Wrath Hammer in the other. A millennium ago, Onaga was the true ruler of Outworld and the Warlord had once served the Dragon King as his advisor, before ultimately betraying him. Onaga wanted revenge, not caring who, and what he was fighting for. The Dragon King forgot all about Lord Raiden as he stomped towards Shao Kahn.

"**VENGEANCE WILL BE MINE, INSECT!" **Onaga growled

"**Then come and take it!" **Shao Kahn roared back, as he wielded his Wrath Hammer.

The Dragon King shot his wings out, before shooting forward, as the Warlord charged in return.

Skarlet pulled a single Kunai from her thigh strap, and launched the blade at the Queen's mouth out of desperation. The small spear sailed towards Sindel - but was blown back by the sheer force of the Queen's attack.

Fujin - who battled Motaro - tried gusting a blast of wind to counter Sindel, but to no avail.

Skarlet had no choice but to grab one of her ninja swords and hoisting it up, before stabbing herself in the midsection. She then liquefied into a puddle of blood and was able to move under Sindel's Banshee Scream.

Lord Raiden tried to distract the Queen, by firing off a bolt of lightning towards Sindel.

The electricity fought against the current of her screaming shockwaves and struggled to burst through. The moving blood puddle form that Skarlet had taken was able to pool underneath the Queen undetected. _This is it! _she thought, as she then burst the blood pillars upward, catching Sindel and trapping her successfully.

"_NOOOOOO! AAHHHH!_" The Queen screamed, as she saw Skarlet pop out and materialize out of the blood puddle.

The Hemomancer made the move to slash the suspended Queen in half -but she was then tackled to the ground by an unseen force. Skarlet was caught off guard as invisible strikes devastated her, pounding, and smashing away, causing her to back up. The Hemomancer put her arms up in a guard position as she continued to feel an invisible force attacking her. _What the hell…?_

Kenshi meanwhile, found the opportunity to eliminate one of the Forces of Darkness's powerhouses, as he saw the undead Sindel trying to break free from Skarlet's blood pillars. He quickly got up, and sprinted towards her, unsheathing his Seto sword as he ran. The Blind Swordsman leapt high up into the air and brought down his blade as hard as he could, slicing Sindel in half.

"EEEAAAAHHHHH!" the Queen screamed, as her body became two. Sindel's blood and vital organs splashed everywhere as Kenshi had successfully eliminated her.

Lord Raiden managed to lift his head up to see Skarlet on the defensive as an unknown assailant continued to confuse and attack her. He knew exactly who it would be.

"Skarlet! It's Khameleon! She is using her transparent form to attack you!" The Thunder God screamed.

Skarlet continued to hold her arms up in guard, managing to hear Lord Raiden's shout as Khameleon pounded away. _Transparent form? Oh great. What am I going to do now? _she thought.

"Find something to throw on her to reveal her location!" Raiden yelled again.

_Something to reveal her? What am I going to find that's just magically going to show on my opponent…? _Blood. Before Skarlet could even finish asking herself the question, she was already searching for it's answer, which happened to be her element. The Hemomancer glanced around, finding the mess that had once been Queen Sindel.

Skarlet immediately jumped and arched, back-flipping towards the blood puddle like an expert gymnast. Khameleon was in hot pursuit as she was going to attack and finish the Hemomancer once she had stopped her flipping. Skarlet continued to back-flip, ultimately jumping high, twisting, and twirling in midair before dismounting into the blood pile. She quickly dissipated into the crimson pool, before popping back up and splashing some of the blood in all directions, and eventually onto the nearby Khameleon. The invisible Saurian was dosed in blood, revealing her form and location. _Gotcha bitch. _Skarlet smirked as she then charged towards Khameleon, opening-up a powerful can of whoop-ass by kicking, slicing, and striking away on the Saurian.

Having been super charged by Sindel's blood, Skarlet felt somewhat invincible as the adrenaline coursed through her veins. She spun rapidly in the air and delivered a strong kick to send Khameleon backwards. Skarlet then scanned the battlefield for Quan Chi, as she had some unfinished business with the Sorcerer.

She was quickly confronted by Tanya, her old cell mate, as they had both had been locked, and chained up beside Shao Kahn's Throne in the Coliseum.

"Tanya?" Skarlet asked, as she stared at the yellow and black-clad Edenian.

Tanya shook her head in disgust. "Look at yourself Skarlet, you're no longer the cold killer you were. Fighting for the forces of the weak? What has gotten into you?"

"Tanya, I don't want to fight you. We have both been through a lot together, but my life has become so much better after leaving Shao Kahn and Outworld. Join us. You can have the same freedom that we all do." Skarlet said, referring to the Forces of Light.

"Freedom? You think that is what I crave? Outworld _is _my home. It was where I was raised. Edenia and any other realm are places of weakness. You have lost sight."

Skarlet slowly shook her head. "I am not the one who has lost sight here, my dear friend..."

"We shared a cell and chains, but we are not friends…" Tanya replied.

"If that is the way you want it." Skarlet replied, as she took a fighting stance.

Tanya made the first move, closing the distance between them and engaging Skarlet. The Hemomancer easily dodged the first few strike attempts by Tanya, before effortlessly sending her back with a straight kick to the chest.

"I see that you have improved since the last time we sparred." Tanya smiled.

Skarlet was about to respond when she was suddenly jump-kicked in the back by Kira. The Hemomancer stumbled forward and was met with a crushing knee to the sternum by the awaiting Tanya. Skarlet folded over from the double blow, and had no time to respond as Kira leapt in and plunged the tip of her dagger into her lower back.

"Ahhhh!" Skarlet screamed in agony, as Kira tried to plunge the blade deeper into her flesh.

Tanya hopped up and brought a fist down hard on the poor Hemomancer, sending her to the ground. Khameleon rejoined the fray as the three of them ganged up and bullied the fallen Skarlet.

_**Kenshi, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, and Sareena vs. Scorpion, Ermac, Jade, Mileena, Kitana, and Kobra.**_

Fujin was finishing off Hotaru, as the rest of the Earthrealm fighters were outnumbered and overmatched.

Kenshi had reengaged Ermac and Scorpion, and was quickly overpowered by the duo. Not far from the Blind Swordsman's beat down, Sareena had her hands full as she was all hacked up and bloodied by the Edenian trio of Jade, Kitana and Mileena.

Sonya had tried to intervene and rescue the Demoness, but she was promptly taken down by the trio as well.

Johnny Cage was busy exchanging with Kobra, who was proving to be quite a difficult match.

Lord Raiden tried to swoop-in and assist the fighters, but he was caught with a flaming jump-kick by the arrival of the undead Liu Kang. The Thunder God crashed and slid backwards in the dirt, before tilting his head up to see his attacker.

"Liu Kang!?" Raiden asked, as he then saw that his former friend had been taken over by Quan Chi's mind control. The Thunder God should've known better, as the resurrected Monk would be vulnerable to such sorcery. Lord Raiden suspected that Quan Chi was aware of Liu Kang's resurrection when he decided to unleash him in Outworld. The God of Thunder's plan backfired.

"I am sorry Liu Kang. All of that which has befallen on you, is my fault. Please forgive me. I will show your spirit the honour it deserves." the Thunder God stated, as he took a fighting stance.

The former allies then engaged in an emotional battle as Lord Raiden reluctantly fought Liu Kang once again.

Kobra was gaining the upper hand on Johnny Cage, delivering hard elbows to his ribs, and swift kicks to his legs.

Sareena and Sonya were down, being stomped and pulverized by Princess Kitana, her sister Mileena, and her friend Jade. Anytime the Demoness and the Lieutenant tried mounting a rally, they were immediately shot back down by the impressive skills of the three female ninjas.

Fujin swooped in to try and assist Kenshi, but the God of Thunder was ultimately overpowered as well by the Hell-spawn and Fused-Soul warrior. Kenshi was losing energy quickly as Ermac's telekinesis proved to be stronger than his, while Scorpion was much more aggressive, and physically powerful then Fujin.

Skarlet managed to lift her head up and saw how badly the Forces of Light were being beaten. She was losing hope as her body was gong numb from the pain. Tanya and Khameleon continued to stomp away, breaking bones and tenderizing her flesh, while Kira jabbed another dagger into her upper left shoulder.

Blood poured out of Skarlet's mouth as the assault became unbearable. The Forces of Darkness were too much, as their numbers would ultimately be the deciding factor in this war. The Hemomancer was giving up hope, as her body had already checked out. It would only be a matter of time until her mind and life was taken, closing her eyes permanently.

Skarlet eyelids felt heavy, as all she wanted to do was go to sleep. Soon she would be dead, and her friends shortly after. The Battle of Armageddon would be over in a moment, as the Forces of Darkness had nothing left to do but claim their victory whenever they saw fit.

Sunlight pierced Skarlet's face, as one of the stars surrounding Edenia quickly peeked over a hill top, shining light on the battlefield.

Two large blasts of ice then sailed into the battle grounds, with one freezing Jade and Mileena, while the other froze Khameleon and Tanya.

Both Skarlet and Sareena looked up at the same time, as they saw who had arrived. On top of the nearest cliff to the battleground - the one where Lord Raiden had created a portal - stood not one, but _two _Sub-Zeros. It was Kuai Liang _and _Bi-Han, as the latter had been restored to his human form. Behind the Cryomancer brothers stood Smoke, along with a dozen clan members, all dressed in black and blue.

* * *

**The Lin Kuei had arrived.**

* * *

CHAPTER 20: PYRAMID OF ARGUS


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